Chance Encounter
by mayzee
Summary: Story based on Jane and Lisbon meeting as teenagers. He is nineteen, she is eighteen. What might have happened between them if they had met before Jane encountered Angela? Rated T but may have some M rated chapters later on. Multichapter. Sequel planned where they are adults. Reviews, as ever, are much appreciated. Finally complete!
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: So this is a little unlike my other stories as this is a story based on Jane and Lisbon meeting as teenagers. I should mention that I am planning a sequel based on this storyline when they are adults so there is a method to my madness and need this story to set it up as their circumstances will be slightly different when it begins based on the events that happen in this one (but hope you'll find it enjoyable nonetheless). I should perhaps state that this story is based on Jane having not met Angela at this stage.**

 **And I know I have three current stories but I will finish them all, I assure you! An update for Destinies will be coming up next. I may not give this one too much attention for the moment but I wanted to get a first chapter teaser out there to gain some reaction.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own The Mentalist, the wonderful Bruno Heller does.**

* * *

Chance Encounter

Chapter 1 – Taking Aim

 _Chicago, 1993_

She aimed her rifle at the moving target ahead, her emerald eyes never leaving it, taking a breath in before she fired. The shot hit it squarely on the head, knocking it over immediately eliciting a light thud. Taking no time to revel in acquiring a perfect shot she shifted her aim and rattled off another burst, a small smile coming to her lips as she made a second flawless hit. Three more later her dimples came into full view and she put her gun down, her gaze falling on the man a few steps from her. She tapped her foot impatiently as he talked with a teenage boy beside her, trying to entice him to part with his cash for another round. The man sighed as the teenager shook his head and moved away from the counter. She nodded to him and he looked at the targets in front of her. Five plastic ducks lay flat on their backs as the music from the carnival's rifle range continued to play in the background.

He strolled up to her, all stubbled cheeks, crumpled shirt and a smell of whisky permeating his breath. He sighed loudly, "Let me guess, you don't want the cuddly toy this time either, you just want another five shots again instead."

Teresa Lisbon nodded quickly in response and he sighed once more, setting her gun up again for the third time.

* * *

Patrick Jane scanned the crowd from his Ferris Wheel lookout, his eyes peeled to pick out those with enough money and least sense to rope into attending his act that evening and propping up its coffers. At nineteen he was left to his own devices now as far as the psychic gig went, his father happy enough to take the lion's share of the profits as his informal 'manager' who focussed now on counting the takings and selling his son's skills in more lucrative private readings than in participating much in the act himself. It was far less effort and more money and Alex Jane was not one to pass up that golden opportunity. Jane didn't mind much, preferred it actually, as it allowed him to sharpen his skills and perfect his trade without his interference. While he knew he was being used and paid scantily presently he was building up a list of clients that he could use when he went out on his own. He was also siphoning off a small but steady supply of cash on the side to assist him in his plans for the future. As he looked around his familiar settings in the carnival, he didn't intend on being here this time next year, two at the most.

He eyed a few likely candidates, women in their mid to late thirties who fell for his boyish good looks and dazzling smile, who wanted to either sleep with him or mother him. Luckily he had enough verbal talents and charm to talk his way out of the former becoming a problem and enough intelligence into turning both types of female attention into a lucrative payoff. He checked the jewellery they wore, clothing, noting every detail to calculate their worth to him. No point wasting his time going after minnows when there were bigger fish available to reel in.

As he tracked a particularly wealthy looking target his eyes stopped at the rifle range. A girl there caught his eye immediately. From his side view he could just make out her elfin features attached to a small physique dressed in a red checked shirt and pair of blue jeans. He picked up his binoculars and his gaze went to her shoes, often the best way of categorising younger people's monetary value as they often wore pretty much the same clothing as each other and he needed to be closer and facing them to identify any type of designer wear. Converse trainers that looked like they'd seen better days adorned her feet. Pity. Nonetheless his gaze shifted upwards again and stopped at her derriere, her pert rear end encased in denim eliciting a wolfish grin and a burgeoning hardness in his groin. His smile grew wider. Perhaps he might get something worthwhile from her after all despite what she lacked in dollars.

* * *

Lisbon aimed her shot meticulously, picking out an invisible speck on the duck she wanted to hit, focusing her attention on her target on a smaller area with each pass. As she released a breath and was about to press the trigger a voice at her ear startled her, making her miss it entirely.

"Tell me, do you focus your concentration like this in all aspects of your life? If so, I have to admit that is a very interesting prospect indeed."

She turned around and a boy around her age with bright golden curls and a face that belonged in a boy band grinned at her. He rested his back casually against the post of the shooting range beside her, his hands shoved into the back pockets of his blue jeans, a white t shirt clinging to his frame.

"Oops," he smirked.

She glared at him for making her miss her shot which only seemed to make him grin more. She rolled her eyes and turned on her heels. She'd seen plenty of boys like him before who thought arrogance was the way into a girl's bed for the night. It was always worse when they were as good looking as he was. And normally the better looking boys her age were, the dumber they were to go with it.

It took a split second for Jane to realise she'd left the range without a word to him. He studied people best by looking into their eyes and when he looked into hers he saw more complexity and depth than he'd ever witnessed for someone her age and that fact puzzled him instantly.

Determination, pain, loss, fear, strength, vulnerability. Immensely guarded. An amalgam of opposing attributes that intrigued him immediately into knowing more.

And perhaps even more surprising was no glimmer of attraction for him, merely disdain. He'd never experienced that before with a girl. He'd never had any problems gaining their attention in the first place as soon as he'd hit puberty. And certainly not when they first laid eyes on him and he'd smiled in their direction. Even when he pissed girls off (which happened quite a lot these days as his interest in them grew) a soulful look along with what passed as a sincere apology normally won them round again in no time.

Somewhere inside he knew this girl wasn't like any other he'd encountered and that he'd need to do more to gain her attention than sweet talk her. And her fresh faced attractiveness, her pale visage only highlighting those dark emerald eyes of hers and the freckles spattered over her skin made his blood race. So different to most girls his age who wanted to or felt peer pressured into slathering their faces with a variety of powders and colours. This girl felt no need to comply with what was considered 'normal' for girls her age, seemingly unafraid to face the world alone.

He caught up with her as she marched past the merry go round.

"Hey, wait up. I'm sorry I put you off your game. I'm sure you'll still ace it at police academy even without the practice."

She stopped walking instantly and turned to look at him, a line between her eyes. Ah, he surmised, so that was it. She'd written him off as nothing but a pretty face but now she was interested into discovering more. It appeared this chestnut haired stranger liked solving a mystery as much as he did. Of seeing behind the facade people showed to the world. Naturally she would be unsuccessful where his own mask was concerned but it would give him the time to unveil her own secrets. He grinned at her as he outstretched his hand. "I'm Patrick Jane, it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance."

She looked at the hand like it was a foreign object, confusing her instantly. Jane smiled inwardly, being so formal and polite in a world where grunts were mistaken for greetings always unbalanced people. And unbalancing people always led to him gaining the upper hand.

"And your name is?" he asked politely, his hand still outstretched.

Surprising him, instead of shaking it she crossed her arms across her chest. "What makes you think I want to be a cop?" she asked, suspicion in her tone.

Although caught off guard by her reaction Jane dropped his hand quickly and smiled effortlessly at her. "Spend some time with me this afternoon and I might just tell you."

She looked him up and down, as if appearing to consider the notion. "And why would I want to do a stupid thing like that?" she asked incredulously, giving him a first peek of her dimples as she laughed. He felt his jeans tighten immediately in response.

Undaunted he stepped a little closer, stared into her eyes his most devastating and intense gaze. "Because as much as you'd like to deny it you sense a connection between us as much as I do. It's more than mere physical attraction, it's...almost spiritual in its nature."

After a moment she laughed in his face, snorting in a very unladylike manner. "God, you really are full of crap, aren't you?"

A second later he joined in, surprised once again by her, and fascinated even more.

As he went to speak two teenagers rushed up to her, gaining her attention. The elder one panted, "There you are, sis! Jimmy's got himself in trouble!"

She rolled her eyes and tutted. "Oh, for crying out loud, Stan, can't I even get ten minutes to myself! You were supposed to be watching him!"

The other one sniggered at his side. "He was too busy hitting on a girl."

"Snitch," Stan glared, his filthy look reducing the other boy to look at the ground. He faced Lisbon again, sheepish instantly. "She was hot," he shrugged as an apology, kicking the dirt with his feet.

"Well you can't blame a man when a pretty girl catches his eye," Jane interrupted, smirking in Lisbon's direction.

Stan squared up to him and looked at Lisbon sideways. "Who's this mook? Want me to get rid of him for you?"

"Nobody," she immediately replied, pulling her brother away from Jane who was backing off slightly by Stan's aggressive stance.

She sighed loudly at her brothers. "Okay, come on then, show me what that idiot has got himself into now." As she led them away she swiped Tommy on the head. "What was that for?" he cried out, rubbing it.

"Snitching on your brother," she replied calmly.

She hadn't noticed Jane accompanying them for a few steps. When she did she stopped suddenly and turned to him, almost causing him to run into her. "And where do you think you're going?" she glared.

"I thought I might be able to help. I work here, after all."

"You work at the carnival?" she frowned.

"I do."

Stan dug Tommy in the ribs, their earlier disagreement forgotten. "What do you think he does? He's hardly the strong man, that's for sure. Even you could take him in a fight with those string arms of yours."

"Hey!" Tommy shot back.

"Actually, I'm a psychic," Jane stated proudly.

Lisbon's brothers immediately began laughing. "Psychic! Tell us our fortunes then, pretty boy!" Stan said between chuckles.

She shoved the two of them forward again. "Oh leave him alone, will you?"

"Ah...you a little sweet on him, sis?" Tommy teased, still laughing. "Want to adopt him like that last puppy you made us get from the shelter?"

She blushed furiously as Jane studied her face for a response. "Of course not! But there's no need to pick on him when he's offered his help."

"That's okay," Jane said, assurance on his face. "Stan, is it?" he said, looking at the eldest brother.

"Yeah?" he replied suspiciously.

"Let me prove it to you. I'll read your mind."

"Yeah, right," he snorted. "Okay then. What am I thinking right now?"

"You're thinking, 'Holy crap, I hope this guy can't really read minds or he'll know what I'd rather be doing right now is chatting to that girl again'."

Stan's mouth opened in surprise, the smirk wiped off his lips. He frowned, "How did you-"

Jane grinned widely and turned to Lisbon. "Now that's over with, don't we have a brother of yours to rescue?"

She narrowed her eyes at him and his smile grew, knowing he finally had her interest.

* * *

 **A/N: So next chapter Jane comes to the rescue...for a price naturally...**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Thank you for all the wonderful reviews to the first chapter. I was genuinely overwhelmed by them.**

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Chapter 2 - Deals

Lisbon heard Jimmy's voice as Stan and Tommy directed her to a table at the side of the dodgem cars. He was being held by the neck of his shirt by a burly man in his thirties. "Hey, get off me! I have rights! I'm a citizen!"

"You're going nowhere until I get my money, boy!"

Lisbon stormed up to the man who stood a foot taller than her, ignoring her brother for the moment. "Let go of him at once," she ordered the man who looked her up and down. After a moment he pushed Jimmy towards her and began to laugh. "Well, who's this now? Your guardian angel?"

Jimmy straightened his shirt and shot Lisbon a sheepish glance. "She's my sister." He squared up to the man's stomach, fortified by the increase in numbers of his clan. "You got a problem with that?!"

"Jimmy, shut the hell up," Lisbon said, rolling her eyes and pulling him back. She ordered Stan and Tommy to look after him with her eyes. She took a calming breath and turned back to the taller man, "What seems to be the trouble? What did he do?"

"At last, someone reasonable," he said, crossing his arms over his hairy chest as he stood in a tank top two sizes too small for him. "Your little brother here stole from me-"

"I did not! You cheated!" Jimmy yelled then was silenced again by Lisbon's withering glance. She nodded for the man to continue.

The man's gaze fell to the table beside him, a pack of cards sitting on it.

Jane, who had been watching the scene with keen interest a few steps away came forward and shuffled the cards. He looked directly at the man who he knew well. "Okay, Frankie, what's going on? You've resorted to hustling kids now?"

"What the hell has any of this got to do with you, Paddy?"

"Well you talked young Jimmy here into playing 'Find the Lady'. Correct? You let him win..." Jane studied the man's face intently. "Ten times in a row. Then you said he could increase the stakes. So, naturally, strengthened by his outstanding form he did just that. But of course then he lost, more than likely more times than when he won. Is that about right?"

The man shook his head. "You know I hate that psychic mumbo jumbo you do. And I'm admitting nothing. Boy owes me twenty five dollars."

Frankie turned back to Lisbon with a steely look. "So, time to cough up, sweetheart."

She looked at Jane who shrugged. "Sorry, bet's a bet. Just because Frankie here is a lying cheat doesn't mean he doesn't deserve his money. Your brother should have been more careful."

She gaped at him. "Well, a lot of help you've been."

He shrugged in response, a smile on his lips.

She bit her lip and opened her wallet, knowing there was only twelve dollars inside. She moved the money around, praying god would double it for her miraculously. Finally she closed it and looked Frankie straight in the eye. "I don't have it. But I promise I'll come back tomorrow with it. You have my word."

Frankie looked at Jane and raised an eyebrow. Jane smiled, biting his bottom lip to stop a laugh escaping as he looked to the ground, humoured by her naivety.

"Well, then I suppose that'll be fine," Frankie said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. Then his tone changed. "You better get your parents over here with the money, honey. I have a business to run, I'm not a charity or a bank."

Jane watched as the three brothers looked to their feet, saw pain flash across their faces swiftly followed by fear. Lisbon was a little harder to read but he saw her pulse leap in her neck as she tried to keep a level head. "They're not here," she said quietly.

"Then we have a problem, don't we?" the man said. He pointed to the gold cross around her neck. "I could let it go if you give me that."

Her hand went to the cross immediately. "I...I can't give you that."

While Lisbon was staring at the man Jane noticed the three brothers beginning to whisper between them. He could tell they were about to make a run for it. They wouldn't get ten feet before one of the other workers caught them and more than likely get a hiding for their trouble.

"How about you owe me instead?" Jane suddenly said to Lisbon, producing a twenty dollar bill. "You got enough to cover the rest?"

She nodded quickly, breathing out. "Really? Are you sure? But why?"

He shrugged and dazzled her with a smile. "I have my reasons."

"I'll pay you back tomorrow. I promise," she said, her eyes wide.

"Hmm. Well before you accept my money I think you should know I require a little interest on my return."

Her look of gratitude turned to one of annoyance. "Is everyone who works here some kind of hustler?"

"Um...pretty much," he grinned.

"Okay, how much?" she asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Thirty minutes. Pretty reasonable if you ask me."

"What? What are you talking about?"

He moved a little closer to her, looked at her with desire, dropped his voice to barely a whisper as he stared into her eyes. "I give you twenty dollars today. You pay me back twenty dollars tomorrow. Plus you spend thirty minutes with me this afternoon."

Stan marched up to him, making Jane back off a step from Lisbon. "You're trying to buy my sister? What do you think she is? Some kind of hooker?"

Calmly, "I'm not paying her for sex. Just her time."

Lisbon raised an eyebrow. "Oh, so just an escort then, huh?" she replied, shaking her head at his boldness.

He smiled at her. "Only a very high class one, I assure you. So, do we have a deal or not?"

Tommy came up beside her. "T, you don't have to do this. We'll find another way to get the money."

Without looking at her brothers her lips upturned slightly as she stared back at Jane. "Okay. Deal."

After they paid off Frankie who looked gleeful from receiving money from Patrick Jane they began to walk away. Jane wasn't worried. He'd win it back off him and more after ten minutes playing poker.

After a few steps as Jane walked beside Lisbon he realised her brothers were accompanying them on their stroll through the carnival. "What are they doing?" he asked her.

She beamed a smile. "You never said you wanted time with me alone. She looked at her watch. Twenty eight minutes to go."

He stuttered, "Well...no but...well I thought that was obvious."

"Then you should have made your terms a little clearer," she laughed.

Her brothers soon joined in, united in getting one over on this interloper.

Jane looked to the side and bit the inside of his mouth. He couldn't remember the last time someone bamboozled him. He sighed but smiled, taking out his wallet. He looked at her brothers. "Okay, how much is this going to cost me?"

They looked at their sister for a response. Her eyes sparkled at Jane. "Nothing. But you let me off the twenty dollars I owe you."

Jane narrowed his eyes at her. "So I'm basically paying twenty dollars for thirty minutes alone with you? I've never had to pay a cent to see a girl, never mind twenty dollars."

Lisbon sighed theatrically. "Well, there you go then. I guess the five of us will have a nice look around the carnival for-"

She checked her watch again. "Twenty six more minutes."

Jane began to chuckle as this girl outfoxed him again. Naturally he was intrigued into discovering more. "Fine. Your debt is clear, m'lady. Disperse your men." He bowed slightly at her.

She laughed and turned to her brothers. '"Meet me back at the shooting range in half an hour. Don't separate from each other." She glared at Stan. "And no walking off to talk to any other girls."

"Fine," he sighed. He gestured to Jane with his head. "You sure you can handle him on your own?"

She raised both eyebrows.

Stan laughed. "Yeah, he gets fresh he won't speak right for a week."

* * *

When they were finally alone Jane asked, "So, are you going to tell me your name now?"

"I thought you were psychic," she smiled. "You tell me."

"Okay," he said assuredly. "Give me a few minutes to get myself in the zone."

He walked her over to a fence that sat at the edge of carnival. Trailers and some tents lay behind it. He quickly hopped over it. "Come on," he smiled, reaching for her hand to help her across.

Worried suddenly she shook her head, looking back at the carnival behind her. "Hang on. Where are you taking me? This wasn't part of the deal."

He leaned over the fence at her, grinning. "I never said the thirty minutes were to be spent at the carnival. You should have made it clear that was the basis on which you accepted my offer."

She looked back and forth, gauged how much of a threat this boy could actually be. Stan was right. Although her stature was small she could knock him out quite easily if he tried anything. Then her heart skipped a beat and she realised she wouldn't be averse to him trying...something. This strange boy interested her and a large part of her wanted nothing more than to see what would happen in the next twenty two minutes.

Waving off his hand she jumped the fence.

He brought her forward and she saw people who she guessed worked at the carnival taking breaks. Some were dressed up, taking cigarette breaks or eating sandwiches. There seemed to be a camaraderie of sorts amongst them, Jane waving to some of them as he walked with her. She felt his hand on the small of her back as he led her, barely there but oddly comforting. They arrived at a man with a handlebar moustache who stood over six feet, washing some clothes out in a bucket.

"Hey, Pete," Jane smiled.

"Hey, Patrick. How goes it?" He grinned at them both. "So, who's your little friend?"

Jane turned and studied her as if she had just appeared out of thin air. "Um...I don't know. She won't tell me her name."

Pete laughed heartily, squeezing excess water with his muscular hands. "Wise girl." He glanced up at Lisbon. "Nice to meet you, miss."

"You too," she said shyly.

"You got some apples?" Jane asked.

Pete dug into a bag beside him and brought three out. Before he handed them over to Jane he held out his other hand. Jane rolled his eyes, fishing out a dollar.

"Nice doing business with you," he said, handing over the apples as he pocketed the money. "She's getting washed off."

"Thanks," Jane said, handing Lisbon an apple. "Don't eat that," he told her as she looked at it in her hand, confused.

"Hey, Paddy!" Pete shouted as they were a few steps away, making Jane turn around again.

"Your dad was looking for you earlier. Something about bookings. Told him I hadn't seen you."

Jane nodded and Lisbon noticed his face turn into a frown, first one she'd seen since she'd met him. "Thanks, Pete. Keep it that way if you see him."

"Will do," he smiled. "Sam's making chicken stew for dinner, there'll be too much as always."

Jane smiled at him warmly. "I'll be there. Thanks!"

When they turned another corner Lisbon's eyes widened when she saw the elephant in front of them, a bucket of water beside her that she was washing her back with.

Lisbon backed off a little, never having been so close to one before. Jane walked up confidently and patted her trunk. "This is Daisy. She loves apples." He took one from his pocket and set it at the edge of her trunk. The elephant immediately moved it and fed it to herself. He tilted his head at Lisbon. "Come on, come closer. She's a sweetheart. She won't bite."

"You're sure?"

He chuckled. "You have more to worry about with me in that department than Daisy here."

Lisbon's cheeks reddened but she walked a few steps closer. Soon she was feeding Daisy herself as Jane watched on, his hands in his back pockets as he saw her eyes light up, her dimples on full display as she giggled feeding Daisy, gaining more self-assurance and patting her trunk.

It wasn't the first time he'd brought a girl to help feed the elephant; it had been an effective way of charming girls for a couple of years now. But this was the first time he'd ever had such a strong reaction to seeing someone lighten up before his eyes, to really enjoy the experience. Some girls had even hated it, worried about getting their fingernails dirty or smelling of elephant. She hadn't even looked in his direction as she bonded with the animal. She was noticeably carefree all of a sudden and his heart rate increased.

Finally she turned around and smiled at him gratefully. "That was fun. Thanks."

"My pleasure."

"So, now what?" she asked timidly.

He walked a little closer and took her hand gently, steering her away from Daisy. "Well, now I read your mind."

"Really?" she laughed.

"Well if you're not going to tell me your name then I'm afraid it's the only way."

She turned towards him and he smiled as she didn't let go of his hand. "Okay."

"But as you know there's no such thing as something for nothing around here," he said softly, taking her other hand in his.

"So...if you guess correctly I'll owe you, is that it?"

"Precisely."

"You trying to win your twenty dollars back?"

"Nope. But if I guess correctly I require a kiss." He paused briefly, considered his words carefully. "From you."

She moved a little closer to him as they continued to stare at each other. "I see. And what do I get if you can't?"

"What would you like?" he whispered.

"The clock on our time together stops," she responded.

He frowned at her as he saw her pupils dilate. He already felt the pulse quicken in her wrist. "Are you sure that's what you want?"

"I don't like being beholden to anyone. If I'm with someone it's because I want to be. Not because I'm being blackmailed into it."

He smiled, nodding his head. "Fair enough. If I can't guess then you are free to go." He pulled her a little closer. "That is...if you want to."

She pulled back a little, her breathing a little laboured by the way he was looking at her. "Deal."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3 - Names

Before she had a chance to know what was happening Jane let go of one of her hands and pulled her by the other, racing back towards the carnival. They were practically running by the time they'd made it back to the fence they'd hopped over earlier.

"Where are we going?" Lisbon laughed, a little out of breath, surprised again by Jane's impetuousness and wildly changing moods. A handful would be what her mother would have called him. Trouble was the word she had decided best suited him.

He helped her over the fence, panting slightly. "Can't just mind read anywhere. It has to be done in the correct setting. It takes a certain...ambience to carry it off effectively."

"So?"

He grinned at her. "You'll see."

As they approached a large tent she saw a poster to the side of it, the words written in flowery script.

 **ALEX JANE PRESENTS**

 **PATRICK JANE**

 **PSYCHIC BOY WONDER**

"Boy wonder?" she scoffed. "Aren't you a little old for that nickname?"

Jane shrugged in response. "Gets the crowds in. They're a little disappointed when they see I'm not quite the _boy_ they were expecting but I soon have them eating out of the palm of my hand once I get started."

"Not to mention getting them to part with their money too, huh?"

"I provide a service. You don't think I should be paid for it?"

As he drew back a curtain to let her inside she replied, "Depends if that service is honest or not."

"Well, I'm about to make a believer of you."

"We'll see."

She looked around the battered tent, tin chairs and wooden tables settled against a stage area, dust particles circling the air. Unlit lights held on tripods circled the currently empty audience area, devoid of furniture presently, a spotlight at the back focused on the stage. Its dimness and emptiness reminded her of some kind of dilapidated theatre, stuck in time as customers moved on to more modern venues. Only the voices of people bustling outside broke the silence for a few seconds.

"Alex Jane? That's your father?" she asked as she took in the place as Jane was busy setting up a couple of chairs on stage.

"Yeah," he replied quickly.

"Is he part of the act too?"

"Um...no. Not anymore."

"Why not?"

Instead of talking further about his father he dusted off the chairs. "Come on. Sit down so we can get started. Time's wasting."

Warily she made the few steps from the side to the small stage and sat in a chair opposite him.

"You ready?"

She shrugged, intrigued. "Sure, go on."

"Okay. Close your eyes first."

She raised a sceptical eyebrow in response.

"Don't worry. I'm not going to kiss you when your eyes are closed. I promise. Deal is that you kiss me, not the other way around."

She rolled her eyes before closing them. "Okay. But no funny business or you'll be walking funny for a week."

His eyes glinted in amusement before he took a deep breath, his cheery tone changed to one soft and low. "I'm going to read your thoughts. I want you to take a deep breath in and...out. Are you concentrating?"

After taking a long breath she nodded, eyes closed.

"Name as many 20th Century presidents as you can. Now."

Frowning, "Um...Coolidge, Wilson, Roosevelt, Eisenhower, Truman, Kennedy, Nixon, LBJ-"

"Good. Take another breath in. And out."

After complying he continued in a soft voice, "Make your mind go blank, as if it's a black canvas. Now on that canvas, in large white letters write your name. Concentrate on your name. I am listening to your thoughts." He paused for a moment. "Don't shout. I can hear you. Okay, open your eyes."

She blinked opening them.

He smiled at her. "It's very nice meeting you, Teresa."

She looked crestfallen and shook her head. "How'd you do it?"

His smile grew wider. "You told me, Teresa. Our minds are in sync now."

"Bull," she retorted.

"Still a sceptic? Oh well. Anyway I do believe you have a deal to make good on."

Grinning he rose from his chair and pulled her to her feet. He tilted his head down. "Now, please be gentle with me, Teresa."

"Not so fast," she said, putting a hand to his chest to stop his face coming any closer to hers.

"We had a deal."

She smiled widely. "And I will make good on that deal if you tell me my name. My full name. First name and last name."

"You're kidding me, right?"

"Nope." She glanced at her watch again. "Fifteen minutes, boy wonder."

A second's pause where he studied her. Confidently, "Okay. If you insist. Give me your hands so I can make the connection again."

Shaking her head in bemusement she allowed him to hold her hands. He closed his eyes again, breathing deeply. He really was good looking, she thought as she watched him. And those lips of his looked so soft. And that hair of his, like the golden curls of an angel...

"Stop checking me out. You're putting me off my concentration."

She jolted away from him instantly, blushing, shocked.

He began to laugh. "Told you I'd make a believer out of you."

She crossed her arms across her chest defensively. "Not yet. What is it then? My name."

He leaned in close to her ear, his voice a whisper. "It's a lovely name you have, Teresa Lisbon."

Her eyes wide, her mouth opened and closed without a word. Finally, "How...I mean how...how did you know that?"

"Do we have to go through this again? I'm psychic. Now...pucker up and plant one on me. No more stalling. Deal's a deal."

She had no idea how he could have known her name but she was certain it must be a trick of some sorts. His hands touching her sides all of a sudden he bent his face towards her. "You're not a welcher, are you, Teresa Lisbon?"

Getting up on her tip toes she went to kiss his cheek (after all he hadn't specified where he was to be kissed) but he turned his head at the last second and her lips found his instead. As soon as they had he responded immediately, his arms tightening around her slightly as he moved his lips against hers. As she gasped in surprise he deepened the kiss. For a few seconds she melted into it as his tongue danced against hers. He was a hell of a kisser. But as soon as his hands made their way to her ass and squeezed both cheeks she pulled back from him, moving out of his grasp.

He grinned, showing no remorse for his actions but holding his hands up in surrender.

"I should punch you on the nose for making a move like that. I've just met you, for heaven's sake!"

"Now why would you want to spoil this beautiful face, Teresa Lisbon? Besides you were enjoying yourself. Don't try to pretend otherwise."

"Do you have to keep repeating my name?" she scowled.

"If I promise to keep my hands to myself can we do that again, Teresa Lisbon?"

She rolled her eyes but felt drawn towards him again as he smiled and moved a step closer. He put his hands behind his back and tilted his face towards hers again. She bit her lip and as she was about to stand up on tip toes to close the gap they were interrupted by a sound from the front of the tent, of someone entering. Lisbon drew back immediately and Jane's face fell.

A middle aged man with greying hair stopped walking when he saw them on stage. "There you are, Paddy. Been looking everywhere for you. Should have known you'd have a girl in tow."

Jane glanced at Lisbon and for the first time she saw his charming act falter. He turned to his father as he came off the stage, helping her down. "What'd you want, dad?"

"I have some private readings for you tomorrow morning." He glanced at Lisbon and rolled his eyes. "So keep it free."

"Will do. That it?"

Alex Jane then took more of a look at Lisbon, turned on a dazzling smile. "I'm sorry. My son has no manners sometimes. I'm Alex Jane."

"Um...Teresa...Teresa Lisbon."

"That's a lovely name, my dear."

She glanced at Jane sideways. "So I hear."

Alex chuckled before becoming serious again. "I'm terribly sorry you've lost your mother, Teresa. Perhaps Patrick here could do a private reading for you," he said smoothly, winking at his son.

"She's not interested," Jane splurted out. Calming himself again he added, "I've just asked her." He shrugged his shoulders at his father, hoping he would see it as a sign of resignation. His eyes added, _win some lose some._ Last thing he needed was for his father to get in the way of him trying to have a social life.

Alex immediately lost interest in her, his smile fake now, "Well, if you change your mind we'll be here all week."

"Thanks," Lisbon said quietly as she rubbed her cross, mystified at how this man knew her mother had passed away.

Alex chuckled at his son, patting him hard on the shoulder in a rare show of camaraderie as he turned to leave. "You're your father's son, my boy. Killer with the ladies." As he was about to leave the tent he added, "Just don't get her pregnant."

Lisbon was left speechless by his parting remark and she glowered at Jane before she saw the shame in his face at his father's comments. She knew only too well what it was like to have a parent you couldn't control. Jane kicked some dirt from the floor, "Guess I better get you back to your brothers," he muttered quietly.

"We still have a few minutes," she ventured, smiling when she saw him look up at her with a smile of his own.

"Look I'm sorry about-"

"No need to apologise, Patrick. Buy me a hotdog and we'll call it even."

"It's always a negotiation with you, isn't it?" he grinned.

* * *

As they finished their hotdogs at a picnic table near the shooting range Lisbon said, "So...your father...he seems like a character."

Jane wiped some mustard from his mouth with a paper napkin. "Well that's one word for him I suppose."

"How did he know my mother had died? Is he psychic too?"

Jane sighed. "Yeah, it runs in the family," he said quietly. He narrowed his eyes at her. "Thought you were a non believer?"

She shrugged and puffed out a breath. "Well from what I've experienced today I'm...I'm not sure of anything anymore. Why did you tell him you'd asked me about doing a reading when you hadn't?"

"Didn't think you'd be interested."

She turned around in the bench to him fully, legs either side of the seat. "No. It wasn't that. It felt more like...I don't know, you were trying to protect me or something?"

"You finished?" he asked, pointing to the hotdog wrapper in front of her.

She frowned at the abrupt change in topic, nodding. "Um...yeah, thanks."

Jane wrapped the wrappers into a ball and made a four foot shot into the garbage can. "Not bad, eh?" he smiled. "Now I see why you want to be a cop. Naturally inquisitive. Talking when we could be doing other more...interesting things."

He kissed her, hoping the distraction would end the conversation about his father.

She drew back after a brief kiss. "That's another thing. How did you know I wanted to be a cop?"

He rolled his eyes. "Psychic, remember?"

"Hmm," she said suspiciously.

He spotted her brothers come to fetch her a little way off. "Your clan is here," he said, gesturing to them. She turned her head and went to get off the seat. "Well, it's been...interesting meeting you, Patrick."

She hesitated for a moment when he hadn't made any attempt to get her number or make plans to see her again. "Um...well I better go. Make sure they don't make any more trouble."

Blushing, she kissed him on the cheek. "Goodbye then."

He sat with his back to the picnic table and his elbows resting on it, a picture of relaxation. "It's not goodbye. I'll see you again," he said assuredly.

"Oh? How do you figure? You don't have my number for one."

"Don't need it. You'll be back to see me later. Or tomorrow. One or the other."

"Oh, I will, will I?" she responded, wide eyed at his assertion.

"Yep," he nodded. "You'll be back. So let's just say au revoir, Teresa Lisbon." He took her hand and kissed her knuckles, grinning when he felt the pulse in her wrist jump.

She withdrew her hand quickly and glared at him. "I wouldn't bet on it, Patrick Jane," she glared, annoyed by his egotism.

He shrugged. "My psychic powers never fail. I'll see you soon."

He stood up and took her by the waist swiftly and kissed her fully on the lips before he made a hasty retreat as he saw the disgruntled faces of her brothers a few feet away, their feet moving quicker when he saw their sister in his arms.

"Son of a bitch," Lisbon said to herself, half aroused and half angry but one hundred percent more curious than ever.

* * *

 **A/N: Next chapter Lisbon gets her answers and Jane feels her wrath! Thanks again to all the lovely (and some new followers & reviewers to my stories, you're most welcome!) reviews to the first couple of chapters. This story is gentler than some of my others so appreciate the support.**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Apologies for the delay in getting another chapter up with this story and all of my others this week. Life had been hectic, in a good way but not conducive to a lot of writing (or reading). And I apologise for not getting back to all the lovely reviews I've had recently. I figured you'd want another chapter of something than spending my time replying to them but I will try my best to reply as I usually do from now on. I'll be updating Trust or Vegas Variation next. And I'm on Twitter now for anyone who doesn't already know, details are on my profile page. Thanks and please do tell me if you're enjoying this!**

* * *

Chapter 4 – Fathers & Fact Finding

"So, you going to see blondie again?" Stan laughed, doing his best to embarrass his big sister as he nudged her sitting beside him on the bus home. Tommy and Jimmy sat behind, bickering quietly between themselves.

Lisbon ignored him, turning a page in her book instead.

"C'mon, Reese, give me something. He had his tongue so far down your throat he could taste what you had for breakfast."

She turned crimson and hit his arm with the book. "He did not!"

He rubbed his arm and laughed again. "Well I got _my_ girl's number."

"Oh, you mean the one you abandoned your brothers to hit on?" She rolled her eyes. "Well that's just fantastic, as long as everything worked out for you then that's all that matters."

"Jeez, T, give me a break will you? I'm not their father. I'm seventeen; I was only doing what everyone else my age is doing."

She sighed, looking out the window. "Yeah, I know."

She could hardly remain angry at Stan for behaving like every other teenager his age out there. For over half an hour she had felt the same as he had, chatting to a good looking boy, flirting, kissing him. Having fun. Feeling totally free for the first time she could remember in years, unburdened from the responsibility she'd heaped upon herself of raising her siblings. Patrick Jane was a nice interlude from her normal life as he had looked at her as though he was captivated by everything she'd said, had made her feel beautiful, smart and special. She smiled, certain he had made a long list of girls her age feel exactly the same way. She was not stupid or naive enough to believe she was anything different in his eyes. Of course then he had to be an arrogant jerk and tell her she'd come running back to him. She shook her head at her reflection. She wasn't near captivated enough to make a fool of herself by doing that. Nonetheless, she licked her lips, reliving the taste of his on them.

Stan nudged her again, gaining her attention, his tone soft now. "Sorry, Reese. I know you only wanted ten minutes to yourself."

"That's okay. You never signed up to be a parent."

"Neither did you."

They both shrugged. As the two eldest they had found themselves in the roles of parenting their two younger brothers as they got older although Lisbon's word was still undoubtedly the law in the household in this strange dynamic they'd created. Lisbon nudged him back. "So, what's her name?"

Stan grinned immediately. "Karen. She's hot as hell, sis. She's got these big great...eyes, long dark hair." He sighed contentedly. "I think she might be the one."

Lisbon chuckled beside him. "You always say that."

"Well this one's different. I can feel it."

"Did you ask her out?"

"Said I'd call her. So what about you and pretty boy then?"

Lisbon shrugged. "Nah. He works for the carnival. He's gone by the end of the week. There's no future in it so what's the point?"

"Why do you always have to be so rational? It's summer, T. Time to make hay while the sun shines. Anyway, you're off to College in the fall-"

" _If_ I go to College then-"

"You're going. There's no way you're wasting that brain of yours stuck here in a dead end job. Mom would roll in her grave if you did that. Told you before, I can handle things here."

Lisbon and Stan had the same discussion a hundred times over whether she should postpone going to university until the following year when the younger boys would be a little older. She had a scholarship lined up at Sacramento State University on the West Coast and had already been accepted into the Criminal Justice Degree program offered there but was allowed to delay a year before attending. Currently Tommy was fifteen and Jimmy barely thirteen. And the fact that Stan had just lost their brothers at the carnival where Jimmy had got himself into trouble only made her feel more strongly that none of them were ready for her to leave the nest just yet. Especially not with their father behaving like he was. But she didn't feel like having the same argument again at this moment so allowed him to continue.

"Anyway, what I was saying is that you should have a little fun in your life before then. Enjoy yourself for a change when you don't have your nose stuck in school work. I saw how you looked at him. Never seen you so interested in someone before. Even if he does look soft if you ask me. So what if it only lasts a few days?" More seriously he added, "But tell him from me if he decides to sow any of his wild oats in you...well then tell him he better not come back to Chicago any time soon."

"Jeez, Stan. I have no intention of seeing him again so don't worry, there'll be no oat sowing going on. And you better remember your own advice where that Karen girl is concerned. Or at least-"

"Please Reese don't give me the birth control talk again. It was embarrassing enough the first time."

* * *

Lisbon breathed a sigh of relief as she cleared up after supper. Her father had come home from work, ate dinner silently and drank himself into a stupor, falling asleep on the armchair by the fireplace before dragging himself to bed an hour later. She notched up another day in her mind. Thirteen days since he'd hit any one of them. But she also knew the relief she felt would only last until tomorrow as she waited for him to crack and she would brace herself come morning once again for the day to be over without incident. He'd even passed her some housekeeping money this evening. She went to put the money into her wallet and her eyes widened when she noticed what was missing, in its place a small butterfly made of paper. As she unrolled it she observed it was made from a ticket to Patrick Jane's show. 'That jackass,' she whispered to herself, angry at the stunt he'd pulled but a part of her secretly thrilled of the trouble he'd went to in order to see her again. The pieces of how he'd performed his 'mind reading' suddenly fell into place. She grabbed her father's car keys and headed out.

* * *

"Jesus, Paddy, what the hell kind of a show was that?" His father handed Jane a paltry share of the evening's takings. Jane rolled his eyes at the thirty dollars he'd killed himself working two hours to make.

"What was the problem?" Jane asked.

"You were flat out there, my boy. Flat. Told you before...you need to show the suckers a little more...razzamatazz. You need to buck up and get your head in the game."

Jane sighed, pocketing the cash. He found it better to accept his father's 'constructive' feedback than battle against it. "I'll try to do better tomorrow, dad."

"Yeah, make sure you do. I want the full Jane experience with those bookings tomorrow morning. You'll be a disgrace to the name if you keep doing what you did tonight-"

"I hear you, okay?" Jane bristled, barely holding his temper.

His father squared up to him. "You talking back at me?"

Jane backed off. "No," he said quietly. "I'll knock 'em dead in the morning. Don't worry."

"Yeah, see that you do."

Alex Jane shuffled out of the tent and Jane was left standing in the middle of it alone. He breathed out a huge sigh and pulled his tie off, placing it in his pocket. At least he didn't have to wear a scout uniform any longer he thought, trying to see the bright side. He began to stack up the chairs against the stage when he heard the curtain open again. "Sorry, we're done for tonight-"

As he turned Teresa Lisbon stood in front of him with her arms crossed and a scowl on her face.

He grinned immediately and cleaned his hands on his pants. "I told you we'd see each other again."

She stomped up towards him and he grinned wider, her fierceness igniting a fire of his belly. "Now, you don't want to spoil this face, Teresa. It's how I make my living."

She looked him up and down before she punched him in the gut, making him double over immediately. "Whoa! Okay, slugger, take it easy."

"Well I certainly know how you don't make your money is actually being psychic," she said unapologetically.

He straightened up and shrugged at her, still grinning. "Had you though, didn't I?"

At his smile and sudden honesty she couldn't help smiling herself. "Okay then, give it to me. Now," she ordered him, trying to remain serious.

He frowned, looking around the empty tent. "What here? Now? Wow, so bossy. And they say you Catholic girls are hard to seduce. At least buy me dinner first-"

Blushing, "Not that! My driver's licence. The one you stole from me."

"Borrowed," he contradicted, holding up an index finger.

"That's how you knew my name."

"Technically I hadn't borrowed your licence when I told you your name. I'd merely glanced at it."

She thought for a moment, a line appearing between her eyes, disappearing when she realised what he'd done. "When I checked my wallet for cash to pay off Frankie. You were standing next to me. You saw it then."

"I admit I did," he said, taking a step closer to her.

"But that was only for a second or two."

He took another step so he faced her. "Long enough to read the name. Teresa Lisbon."

He'd said her name so softly as his eyes gazed at hers she hardly felt him encircle his arms around her waist. He bent down and kissed her and she drowned in it for a few moments before pulling back. "I could have had you arrested for theft," she responded, her arms coming to rest at his hips.

"Not a chance," he replied assuredly, capturing her lips again in a long kiss.

She drew back fully and studied him. "So why did you steal my licence?"

"Borrow."

She rolled her eyes. "Okay, borrow. If you already knew my name."

He shrugged. "To make sure you came back here to see me."

"You could have just asked me instead."

Puzzled, "And why would I have wanted to do a boring and predictable thing like that?"

* * *

He bought her ice cream and dragged a throw from the trailer to sit on as they sat on the grass, eventually the bright lights of Chicago the only ones twinkling around them as they sat on the edge of the carnival, dark now as all the customers began to dwindle away. They talked about nothing in particular for a while between ice cream kisses. He lay back on the grass, his hand resting on her lower back as she pulled her knees up in front of her. "You saw, didn't you?" he asked softly.

She turned to face him and frowned. "Saw what?"

"Me and my father. Before you entered the tent. You came in a few moments after he left."

"Um...yeah. I was going to come in and...Well I saw you two were...talking."

He smiled effortlessly. "Well that's a nice way of putting it."

"Does he always talk to you like that?"

He shrugged. "It's what I'm used to so don't really notice it. What about your father? Do you get on with him?"

"Yeah, we get on great," she replied immediately. "He's a great father. Really great," she beamed.

Jane nodded slowly; his suspicions confirmed he wasn't the only one with father issues. She'd answered much too quickly and much too vociferously for the words to be true. The truth was likely the complete opposite of that. Storing that piece of information away he replied, "Well, that's good. Because your brothers certainly seem to be a handful."

"Tell me about it," she smiled. "But...they're my brothers. Family, you know."

"Hmm. Never had a sibling so not really." He paused for a moment. "Well, I don't have one that I know of at least," he added. "With my father god knows. I could have ten of them for all I know."

"Your mother?-"

"Died when I was five."

"I'm sorry."

"Wasn't your fault," he smiled.

She shook her head. "You know what I mean."

"Well, you know what it's like. What age were you when yours died?"

"Twelve. How did your father know that she'd died at all? Because I'm guessing he's not psychic either. And come to that, how did you know I saw you and your father talking after your show?"

"No. He's definitely not psychic. Even less so than me. The cross you wear. You hold it when you're under stress like with Frankie. Or when my father caught us kissing you held it then. It's a tell you have. How did I know you saw that? Well, you were mad when you came to see me but not quite...blazing. There was a little sympathy in your eyes for me despite what I did to get you back here."

She lay down beside him, propping herself up on an elbow. "You...you saw that...just by looking into my eyes."

He tucked a hair behind her ear and she felt her skin tingle by the gentle nature of the gesture. "You can tell a lot by looking into someone's eyes."

"So that's what you do? How you pretend to be psychic?"

Normally if someone guessed correctly he wasn't psychic he'd move them off topic but with this girl he wanted to share what he did. He wanted to impress her with his intelligence. So he did, informing her about reading body language, tells, picking up on pulse rates, people's clothing, how he recognised what might be considered small details in a person and weaving them into understanding a bigger picture of someone because of them.

"That's incredible," she said finally. "I'm...I'm impressed, Patrick."

He moved closer, kissing her slowly, pushing her onto her back. "I thought you might be," he smiled against her lips, bringing a hand to rest on her side. They continued to make out, her tiny moans intermingled with his, inflaming his desire and he went to move his hand under her shirt. She stopped it in its tracks with hers immediately. "I might be impressed with your mind but I'm not that easy, Patrick."

He laughed and moved his hand back to rest on her hip. "One thing I knew when I met you was that you were far from easy, Teresa Lisbon."

* * *

As he saw her to her car they kissed again up against it. "I better go," she said reluctantly, diving in for another kiss before pushing him away gently.

"Can I see you tomorrow?"

"No tricks this time?" she smiled.

He shook his head. "No but you might need this in case the cops stop you." He handed her back her driving licence with a twinkle in his eyes. She blushed furiously, having forgotten what she'd supposedly come here to get, shoving it back into her wallet. "Thanks," she muttered.

"So tomorrow?" he enquired again.

She nodded but nibbled her bottom lip. "I'm not going to have sex with you," she said firmly.

"I don't recall asking you to," he laughed, surprised by her candour.

Flustered she replied, "I'm just making clear that...well if that's what you want out of this then you should move on to another girl. So...well...that's it really."

He nodded seriously. "Well I appreciate your directness on the matter. Okay."

"Okay? Okay what? Okay you want to see me again or okay you don't?"

He kissed her gently, her anxious state and accompanying pout irresistible to him. "What time suits you tomorrow?"

She couldn't stop a smile but tried to contain it to a small one. "I work in the mornings but I'm free in the afternoon."

"Suits me. I'll grab a car from someone here and pick you up. Say about two? You can show me Chicago."

"Okay, but there's a park around the corner from my house. Meet me there. My brothers are...well they'll only embarrass us both if you arrive at the door." She frowned, "You'll need the address-"

"Got it." He tapped his index finger to his temple. "Your address at least. I'll find the park."

"Of course, from my driving licence," she replied with an eye roll.

He grinned widely before kissing her again. "See you tomorrow, Teresa Lisbon."


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5 - Picnicking

Jane pulled the car he'd borrowed into the curb beside the park near Lisbon's house. Although play park may have been closer to the truth, a few swings and a rusty slide dotted around benches behind the metal railings, looking more pink than red as their paint peeled. Some neighbourhood kids played on the creaky climbing frame, their parents chatting on the seats provided as they shared some neighbourhood gossip. It was like a hundred places he'd seen before. People making do on meagre earnings. He watched as two women laughed together, uproarious and with an inflection he guessed meant they were discussing something colourful and not suitable for the churchgoing types they were trying to portray to their priests.

He smiled, a part of him wishing he could make do with as simple a life as they had, to be happy with what he had and not have the desire for more than that. Of course they had families, a normal existence that meant more to them than money or fame or attention. The other part of him felt sorry for them, that they would live the rest of their lives seeing nothing more than this small piece of Chicago, never knowing what else the world had to offer.

Then he saw her approach, her eyes darting nervously from side to side as she looked for him, her posture telling him she was afraid she'd been stood up. She carried a large brown paper bag in her arms, juggled it as its weight made it slip from her grasp slightly. He got out of the car and she noticed him, her eyes brightening as he approached.

"What have you got there?" he smiled, taking the bag off her.

"Just some leftovers from the diner I worked in this morning. Figured we could have a little bit of a picnic since it's a nice day."

"That sounds like a plan," he replied, kissing her gently and grinning as he saw the blush come to her cheeks.

"Not here," she admonished. "We're right beside my house."

* * *

After depositing the bag in the back seat Jane slipped in the front after opening the passenger side door for her. Once inside he leaned over and kissed her again, deepening it instantly.

"Patrick!" she laughed, shoving his chest.

"You should learn, Teresa, I'm not really one for following orders." He pecked her lips. "Especially when I know you don't really want me to."

She faced front. "Just drive, will you."

* * *

They parked up near Lincoln Park and Jane rifled inside the trunk of the car. "I think there's a blanket in here somewhere," he muttered before he found a chequered one. "Ah, here it is!"

He passed it to Lisbon as he retrieved the bag from the backseat and they began to stroll towards a suitable spot on the grass.

"Who'd you borrow the car from?" she asked.

"Oh, just someone at the carnie, owed me a favour."

She shook her head, "You people really don't believe in something for nothing, do you?"

He smiled, shrugged and gestured to a spot a few feet away from other couples and families that caught the sun. "This do?"

"Sure," she replied, laying the blanket on the grass. He helped her with it and then knelt on top of it as she did the same, picking up the bag she'd brought.

"So, what have we got?" he inquired.

She pulled out a couple of sandwiches wrapped in plastic wrap. "Sandwiches, spicy chicken, hope's that okay."

He leaned over and pecked her lips. "Well I never say no to a little spice in my life." She kissed him back, deepening it a little. Food forgotten he pulled her towards him and eased her onto her back as he kissed her again, hovering over her. Her arms encircled his neck as they continued, small pecks interspersed with more languid kisses. His hand rested on her hip then began to ascend under her T shirt. She breathed heavily as his fingers graced the skin of her side and stomach with gentle and teasing strokes. His hand continued to move upwards until she felt his digits touch the base of her bra. She lowered them only to have them back there less than five seconds later. "No," she said firmly, gratified when he moved them back to her hip again with no further argument and another long kiss. After a few more pecks he released her lips, smirking as he sat back up on the blanket.

"So, what else do we have?" he said, delving into the bag. He grinned immediately. "Blueberry muffins!" he exclaimed.

She laughed at his sudden act of childish surprise, so different to the boy who was doing extraordinary things with his tongue a few moments before. "They're for after-" she began and then stopped as he deposited almost a whole one into his mouth.

"They were supposed to be for after the sandwiches!"

He laughed, finishing off the muffin, swallowing it with some water she'd brought. "Oh? Who says?"

"I do."

He pecked her lips. "Well like I told you earlier, I don't do well with rules, Teresa. In fact, the more you want to enforce them the more I want to break them," he grinned.

She rolled her eyes and lay back on the blanket again.

"So, you work in a diner, then?" he asked, swallowing another glug of water before he lay on his side facing her.

"Just mornings since I finished High School. And some weekends before then."

"Busy girl. That can't have been easy. Doing that and earning a full scholarship to college too," he stated.

"How did you know I have a full scholarship?"

He shrugged, running his fingers down her cheek lazily, "Kinda obvious. You're smart, focused, driven. And well...-" he bit the inside of his cheek and moved his hand to lie on her waist.

"What?" she urged.

"Well you're not from a family that could afford to send you to college without one."

She nodded, moved back up to a sitting position. "Is it that obvious we don't have much money?"

He ran his fingers over the small of her back. "Probably not to most, no."

She turned to face him, a quizzical expression on her face. "But to you it was, huh?"

"It's what I do. Well part of it."

She nodded and lay back on the ground again, her expression still confused. He leaned over and kissed her gently. "So, I'm guessing you're off to college in the Fall?"

She shrugged and puffed out a breath. "Haven't made up my mind yet. Might defer for another year."

He frowned, "Why on earth would you do a thing like that?"

She turned to face him. "You've met my brothers; you think they'd be able to cope without me?"

"What I think is that it's not your job to be their mother." On seeing her shocked expression he added, "I mean...your father's still around, right? Shouldn't be up to you to hold the family together in one piece."

"Well he's busy a lot," she stammered, "Work, you know."

He nodded, another piece of the puzzle that was Teresa Lisbon fitting into place. Highly defensive to hide a clearly very dysfunctional relationship.

He sighed, pulling her towards him for another kiss. "I just think people should live their lives the way they want. Not because of feeling obligated to live them another way."

"It's all part of being part of a family. You know what that's like."

He laughed loudly. "Hardly."

Sternly, "Just because you and your father don't always see eye to eye all the time doesn't mean he doesn't love you. Even if...even if he isn't best at showing it sometimes." Towards the end of the sentence her tone had softened and he got the impression she was talking more about her relationship with her own father than she was about his.

"Teresa, I don't need reassurance where my father is concerned. I've known where I've fitted into his plans for a very long time."

"Aren't you a little young to be so cynical? And what are you saying? You'd just leave him behind if you got the chance at something better without a second thought."

"Or a first one come to that. In fact, I've been saving up for a while to do just that."

She shook her head. "That's...that's so sad, Patrick."

"If he were in my position he'd do exactly the same. You think I want to run with the carnival forever? I have plans."

"Oh, like what?" she smirked. "Conquering the world? Discovering distant lands?"

"Sarcasm doesn't suit you, you know," he smiled. "My plan...if you will...is a simple one. To be filthy rich." He paused. "And famous. But...rich first."

"Seriously? But that's so...superficial."

He pulled her into another kiss, enjoying the spirited debate that had sprung up between them, "It's also called The American Dream."

She rolled her eyes, "And how do you expect to make that happen, boy wonder?"

"Being a psychic, of course. Only thing I've ever been trained for."

"Oh, so this 'American Dream' of yours involves conning good honest people out of their life savings-"

"Firstly, it's not conning people. It's telling them what they want to hear. Like...like a friendly barman who tells a loser who's lost everything that it's all going to work out. Like a parent who tells their child they can sing when they can't carry a tune in a bucket-"

"Those are hardly the same things. People do that to be nice, not to finagle them out of their cash."

"People do that for an easy life. And secondly, well who says the people I do readings for are good and honest? They might live atrociously for all you know. What if that was the case? Okay to swindle them as you would purport now?"

"God, you're infuriating!" she exclaimed, raising her voice. "You know what you should be, a damn lawyer! You have an answer for everything!"

"So you'd rather I ditch one dishonest profession for another?" he laughed.

She sighed and smiled. "Okay, I give up. But I hope one day you'll see you could use your skills to help people, not con them."

"Hmm," he replied seriously, pretending to consider the idea. "And how would I do that exactly? And how much would it pay?"

"Not everything has to be about money, Patrick."

"Makes the world go round, Teresa."

He put his arms around her and pulled her closer, kissing her again. "So does love I hear."

She rolled her eyes. "Jeez, you have all the lines, don't you?" she laughed.

He pecked her lips and drew back slightly. "So why do you want to be a cop? There are plenty of professions where you could help people if that's your goal in life. Why that one?"

"You never told me how you knew that."

"Oh," he nodded, "well when I saw you refuse the stuffed toy to get another round instead it was clear you were more interested in improving your aim than you were in the prize. So that left a few options. Either a would be serial killer, military sniper or a cop. Cop is most common out of those three options so, et voila, a cop."

"Serial killer?" she said, raising an eyebrow. "Seriously?"

"Well that was from a distance. Once I looked into your eyes I immediately decided against that."

"Oh you did, did you? Well thanks for the confirmation."

"My pleasure. May have made seeing you again...problematic."

"But you'd still have considered it?" she asked incredulously.

He shrugged, "Well you do have many other redeeming qualities." His eyes trailed over her body with unashamed lasciviousness.

"You are by far the strangest person I've ever met in my life."

He grinned and pulled her into another kiss. "Why thank you."

She laughed, "It wasn't meant as a compliment."

"Better strange than boring. So, come on now, why a cop?"

She smirked. "You mean you don't know already Great Swami?"

He laughed softly. "Come on, tell me."

She puffed out a breath and shook her head. "I...I don't know really. Like you said I want to help people." She moved off her back and sat with her knees pressed to her chest, looking into an invisible speck in the distance. "But I want more than that. I want to make sure people who do bad things get what's coming to them. Make them pay for their crimes by making sure they're put away and won't get the chance to inflict that same hurt on another family."

Jane propped himself up on an elbow. Softly, "How did your mother die?"

She turned to face him, wide eyed and confused. "What has that got to do with anything?"

"Because I'm betting from your little speech just then that your motivation is personal. And you just touched your cross so obviously something to do with your mother."

She shook her head. "You're good, you know that. You might just make your fortune at this psychic thing after all."

He smiled and tilted his head before he nodded, serious again. "She was killed?" he attempted.

"Car crash."

"Tragic but...still doesn't explain your desire to be a cop."

"There was another car involved apparently but...car and driver were never identified."

"So you want revenge, to catch whoever it was?"

She shook her head, surprised. "No. What I want is to make sure I'm a better cop than those that investigated my mother's death. It's too late to help her get justice but...well I want to make sure other families get theirs."

"Admirable," he said, genuinely sincere. She was truly remarkable. If it were him in her place he would have wanted to hunt the son of a bitch down.

She dug the sandwiches out of the bag, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, clearly uncomfortable with being so open and honest with him. Passing him one barely looking in his direction she said quietly, "You know I don't normally talk about that stuff. And certainly not with someone I've just met."

He unwrapped the sandwich and pressed a kiss to her cheek. "Well I'm pretty nosy. Plus I didn't want you to think I was entirely superficial."

She took a bite of sandwich and wiped the corner of her mouth as she chewed. "I don't think that. But what you want your future to look like certainly is."

After eating they lay on the grass again, kissing and cuddling intermittently. Jane shared stories from his childhood as a carnie kid, scrapes he'd gotten into that he had to talk himself out of. Lisbon, in turn, told him about happier times when she was younger, the trouble her brothers would get into for skipping school and unsuccessfully trying to lie to their mother about it that resulted in them being strong-armed off to confession and yard work for a week.

"She sounds like she was tough," Jane smiled, running his fingers down the locks of her hair as she laid her head on his shoulder. "Now I know where you get that quality from."

"She was," Lisbon laughed, tilting her head to kiss him. He drew her further into his arms and kissed her before he turned them until she was on her back. He kissed her again and then drew his head back to look at her. Her arms wrapped around his neck she asked, "What's wrong?"

He brushed his fingers over her cheek, staring at her, lost in her eyes for few seconds. He didn't know what it was. Perhaps the way her hair fanned out on the blanket. Or the way the sun gave her skin a slightly golden tinge. Or how the colour of her eyes changed from jade to emerald when a cloud passed. But something changed in him. As if he'd just made a great discovery but couldn't describe what it was or how it had happened. He frowned, kissed her again, softly. There it was again. A feeling he'd never had before. A tingle that ran over his skin and left a flutter in his chest. Again he kissed her, deepening it slowly, exploring her mouth as if for the first time. When she kissed him back he moaned softly and felt her shiver beneath him. He felt her hands on his neck, trembling, felt her heart rate pick up. Whatever this was he was feeling she was aware of it and was feeling it too. They drew apart, frowned at each other, equally perplexed. She cleared her throat, disentangling herself from his embrace. "Um...I need to go home soon, have to start on dinner."

He nodded, silent for a moment, still frowning as he moved off the blanket. "All right," he said quietly. "I'll...I better get you back then." He smiled more assuredly as he put what just happened between them to the back of his mind. "I don't want your brothers to beat me up if I'm the cause of them not eating."

"No you don't," she laughed, taking a deep breath.

* * *

As they drove back mostly in silence Lisbon turned the car radio on and tuned it to a pop station. A rock band came on and she began to nod along to the tune. Jane, who couldn't get that moment on the grass out of his mind until then, was glad of the interruption. "No way," he said, shaking his head. "I'm not listening to that racket."

"You don't like popular music?"

"I like all sorts of music. Classical-"

She snorted, earning her a glare. "What age are you?"

"Oh, so only old people can like Classical music? That's extremely ageist."

"Hey I like some Classical stuff-"

"Well you'd have to as you play an instrument-"

"How the hell did you know that?!"

He grinned, changing the station, "Some things should remain a mystery between us, Teresa." A beat later, "Here we go." Soft jazz flooded the car's speakers now.

"Jazz, huh?" she mused.

"Perfect for leisurely driving."

She closed her eyes, listening to the melodic sounds filling the car. "I've never really listened to any before. It's nice."

He glanced over at her as a soft smile fell on her lips and she hummed along to the tune with her eyes closed. He turned his head back to the road as the tingle he felt earlier returned with a vengeance, this time ending with his stomach somersaulting. Unable to deny it any further he knew exactly what it is. Well he was pretty sure. Never having experienced it before he couldn't be one hundred percent certain.

He was falling for her.

Big time.

 _Shit._


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: I am genuinely flabbergasted by the interest in this story. So pleased so many of you are enjoying it. I was hesitant (and honestly didn't really want to) in writing a teenage fic, only forcing myself to do so to set up the sequel I'm planning. But I am having a ball imagining what might have taken place between this pair at this age and adding some more substance to their respective families at the time.**

 **Unlike most of my stories there are not that many chapters left so hope you'll continue to read and review as much as you have. Means the world to receive such lovely feedback.**

* * *

Chapter 6 - Family Time

As they drove back to the park he'd picked her up from Jane said to Lisbon, "It's no problem dropping you home."

Lisbon shook her head. "No, that's fine. It's only a block or so away."

Jane smirked, "If I didn't know better I'd think you were ashamed of being seen with me."

"Hey, I'm thinking of you. My brothers can be pretty over protective."

Jane chuckled, "You didn't tell them we had a date?"

"Just Stan. He actually approved of me having a little fun."

Jane nodded. _For a change_ was obviously implied. "And did you?" he asked, pulling into the space he'd parked in earlier. He cut the engine and turned towards her, hanging his arm over the back of the seat.

Shyly, "Yeah, I guess I did."

Jane smiled. Softly, "Good. Me too."

She leaned over and planted a gentle kiss to his lips. He felt it again even in that brief touch of his lips, that spark between them. Without thinking he cupped her cheek and drew her into another kiss, longer but just as gentle. They parted and he circled his eyes over her face, memorising it. He'd been working on setting up a memory palace and reminded himself to carve out a space for Teresa Lisbon in it.

"Thanks for the picnic," he continued.

She pulled herself back into her seat and smiled, "No problem. Even if you did eat dessert first."

"It seemed to me like I was eating dessert all afternoon," he replied, his voice low as his eyes twinkled at her.

She blushed instantly, lowering her face to her lap for a second.

For a few moments they sat there, looking at each other. Jane studied her face, as it became more hesitant and fearful as his own expression he was certain.

She put her hand on the door handle. "Guess I better go then." She waited a few seconds for a response, her face turning quizzical.

It was apparent she was waiting for him to suggest another date. He swallowed, licked his lips and replied, "Yeah, your brothers are waiting for you I'm sure."

Although expected the hurt he saw staring back at him hit him like a punch to the gut. She covered it quickly and smiled, "Okay. Well, goodbye Patrick."

She opened the door immediately and almost sprinted away without a glance back.

He slumped his shoulders and took a deep breath. He was doing the right thing. There was no future for them so what was the point in extending things any longer. It would only end up in tears and for once he was pretty certain they'd be his. Better to cut things off before they got more complicated. He watched her figure recede into the distance, two words chiming in his head.

 _Coward._

 _Idiot._

"Damn it!" he said suddenly, bursting out of the car at speed.

He saw her as she was about to round a corner, "Teresa!" he shouted.

She walked faster and he rolled his eyes. She'd obviously heard him but was pretending not to. He ran quicker, "Teresa! Wait!"

She turned so quickly he almost ran into her. Panting, "We haven't made plans to see each other again."

As he straightened himself up after his impromptu jog he saw that look again. Undeniable hurt. But now defensiveness and some anger also formed part of the picture in front of him.

"I got the distinct impression you didn't want to," she replied firmly with an arched eyebrow.

"No," he stammered. "No. I just...well I just forgot. That we hadn't." He dazzled her with a smile, hoping that would repair any damage he'd done. It usually worked.

But on this occasion the girl opposite him crossed her arms across her chest, her expression unchanged. "You don't have to do me any favours, Patrick. If you don't want to see me again then it's fine."

He took her by the waist, grateful she didn't immediately shove his hands off. Although still scowling at him her body almost imperceptibly arched into his. He grinned again. Kissed her pout. "I do want to see you again. You'd be doing _me_ the favour if you'd agree, Teresa."

Although still wary she nodded quickly. "Okay then. Tomorrow? Same place? Same time?"

He nodded, pecking her lips. "Perfect. Don't worry about food. I'll take you somewhere. Pizza, ice cream, whatever you fancy."

She rolled her eyes. "Alright, you don't need to lay it on with a trowel."

* * *

"So, how'd it go with blondie?" Stan teased as Lisbon peeled some potatoes a half hour later. He was on heavily enforced carrot chopping duty.

"Fine," she said. Although she'd tried to keep her expression neutral her face creased into a small smile as she recalled those kisses they'd shared that made her insides go to mush, remembering the softness of his lips, his hands on her skin.

Of course her brother picked up on this immediately. He elbowed her playfully, grinning. "Oh...Reese is in looovvvve," he sang. Badly.

She whacked the offending arm with the potato peeler causing him to withdraw. "Oh, shut up. I am not. Hardly know him nor am likely to."

He laughed, messed up her hair. "Don't kid a kidder, T. You got the hots for the pretty boy."

She rolled her eyes, laughing. "Jeez, you are such a child! And he's got a name, Stan!"

At that moment Jimmy came into the kitchen, mooching for something to eat before dinner. "Who's got a name?"

"Everyone," Lisbon replied immediately, informing Stan with her eyes not to start up again about her love life. She took the packet of cookies out of Jimmy's hand and replaced it with an apple silently.

"Why does no one tell me anything?" Jimmy sighed, taking a bite of the fruit.

Stan grabbed him into a headlock, laughing as Jimmy unsuccessfully tried to break free. "We will once you're out of diapers, baby bro!"

Lisbon sighed heavily. "Stan," she warned.

He released his little brother and kicked him on the behind with another laugh, sending him back to the living room, grumbling to Tommy who was watching TV.

"You're even more annoying and cheerful than usual," she said with a smile.

"Well things have been good lately," Stan smiled back.

Lisbon's smile faded instantly. Stan was an impossible optimist. Two weeks without any beatings and he was evidently hoping they'd stopped. It hadn't been the first time they'd got to this stage and Lisbon would take a lot more convincing.

" _He'_ s been good lately," he added quietly, suddenly subdued as he concentrated on chopping a carrot. "You know, drunk but not..." Hopeful eyes turned towards her. "Right?"

She nodded through glassy eyes. "Yeah, he has."

"We're older now, sis. We can protect Jimmy and Tommy better. Maybe he figured it was time to stop."

"Yeah, who knows?" she replied, trying to sound hopeful for his sake. Changing the subject she asked brightly after a deep breath, "So, what about this Karen, then? Tell me about her."

* * *

After Jane's show he escaped his father's rant about his poor showman skills as Alex Jane rushed off to a poker game. Jane knew he'd be in an even worse mood come morning when he'd gambled the night's takings away. But tonight he was unencumbered with that particular monkey on his back. But another one plagued him instead.

Teresa Lisbon with those dark chestnut curls and haunting green eyes.

And those dimples.

And that ass.

And those...

He groaned as he got changed out of his suit into jeans and a T shirt, deciding to call in on Sam and Pete, hoping their company would provide a distraction before he began to list the personality traits he liked in her. Of course supper courtesy of Sam's wonderful cooking would not go amiss either.

* * *

"So, Patrick," Sam said after filling her husband's and Jane's bellies and Pete had gone to give Daisy her last feed of the day. "Pete tells me you brought a little girl around to feed Daisy the other day."

"It's hardly the first time," Jane replied, settling himself against the couch in the trailer his friends lived in.

"Hmm," she replied, staring at him for a long moment. "You like this one though, don't you?" she remarked.

"I like them all," he grinned.

She laughed. "But this one you like a little more than the rest."

He shrugged. "I wouldn't go that far."

"Hey," she stated sternly. "We're part of the show. Not a mark for you. How about a little honesty?"

He sighed and puffed out a breath. "How did you know?"

She came to sit beside him and began to darn a pair of socks. "Well I hear you borrowed Ned's car today to take someone on a date. And I heard she stopped by to see you after your show the night you met her. Pete told me you looked smitten when he saw the pair of you. So counting the day Pete met her that makes two days in a row you've seen this one. And you asked over dinner about where they serve good ice cream in Chicago as we've been on this circuit a little longer than you and your dad. That will make it three. First time I can remember you going to this much effort for a girl. You normally have them running after you and you're dodging them like bullets."

Surprised by her perceptiveness he asked, "You after my gig, Sam?"

"Come on. Stop deflecting."

He sighed and began to pick at a piece of fluff on his T shirt. "I suppose I like this one a little more than any other I've met."

"I'm sorry," she said quietly after a beat.

"Why? Isn't meeting someone you like supposed to be a good thing?"

She put the socks down and turned her attention to him. "It is a good thing when you live in the same world as them. But this girl...what's her name?"

"Teresa."

"Well this Teresa lives in the world outside. Not the one we live in, Patrick." She laughed softly, touched his hand affectionately before she went back to her darning. "Why do you think so many of us marry fellow carnies? People outside don't understand the world we live in. They can't-"

"You know I don't intend on living in this world forever, Sam. You know I have plans."

Pete and Sam were the only people he'd told about his plans to leave the show. He'd entrusted money in their safekeeping for just such a time in case his father came upon it in their own trailer.

"I know, Patrick. And I know you have a better chance at making it on the outside than anyone else I've ever met. Maybe I'm wrong. Tell me about this girl. Her background, what you know about her."

As soon as she asked the question and he began to answer he became more disheartened. Lisbon wasn't the type of girl who would run away with him from the show even if things could get to that stage with her somehow. She was focused on a career in Law Enforcement and on her family before that. She was having major misgivings about going to college (something she clearly had to do to get into the profession she wanted) by leaving her brothers never mind agreeing to leave to be a subordinate to his show, his career. Also his career of choice was not exactly music to her ears. As he finished offloading to Sam he sighed heavily.

"A cop, huh?" she smiled.

He cracked a smile and shook his head. "I know. I must have it bad." He sighed again. "So, what's your advice? Finish things like I almost did today?"

"You like her?"

"We've established that. Too much it seems."

"Then enjoy it while it lasts, Patrick. Young love is such a wonderful thing. She knows you're gone by the end of the week, right?"

He nodded.

"Then she must be okay with that. Knows it can't go any further already."

"Yeah, I suppose. I get the impression her life hasn't exactly been a bundle of laughs the last few years. Centred on studying and looking after her brothers unless I'm mistaken. And maybe worse than that if my suspicions about her home life are true." He didn't share what he had guessed was going on in Lisbon's home with Sam but he was even more overwhelmed by her strength of character if he turned out to be correct.

Sam smiled at her young friend, struck by cupid's arrow. "Well then enjoy the rest of the week together. Give her...No...Give you both some happy memories to take away with you."

* * *

As he drove up to the park the next day Sam's words from the night before were still ringing in his ears. Lisbon and he had pretty hellish lives for people so young. Not as bad as some but certainly nowhere near what could be considered 'normal' for teenagers their age. He had resolved the night before to do exactly as Sam suggested with three main aims in mind over the next three days.

One. To spend as much time with this wonderful girl as he could.

Two. To make her laugh as much as possible.

Three. To kiss her so often their lips would hurt.

He had stopped at three although the murky waters of his raging hormonal teenage mind had come up with a few other items he would also like to attain if the opportunities presented themselves.

He blasted some rock music on the radio (he supposed he should get used to it if she liked it) and tapped along with his hand on the steering wheel awaiting her arrival. He wound down the window, settling his arm on it so a breeze could break up the stifling heat inside the ten year old car he'd borrowed as he waited. He glanced at his watch. Ten minutes late. He frowned, waited another five. His T shirt beginning to stick to him in the muggy summer air he rolled the window back up and exited the vehicle.

He followed the road she'd taken the day before until he found himself on a street with a variety of house types in different colours. He noticed the car she'd driven the first night he'd met her parked outside a painted green house on the corner. He shuffled up the steps towards the brown front door that sat behind a screen. He flung it open and listened for a few seconds with his ear to the wood, could hear the distant sound of people talking inside, their tones urgent and high pitched.

He looked through the stained glass at the side of the door before glancing in the bay windows beside it. Heavy curtains obstructed his view. "Hmm, must be the living area. They must be in the kitchen that's at the back presumably," he muttered to himself.

He knocked on the door, listening for movement after a second. After none came he rapped again. He heard a rustling from inside and stood back as the door opened quickly.

"What?" Stan snapped, opening the door a crack. Upon recognising Jane he shook his head, clearly his mind on other matters, "Teresa's busy, call her later," he told him before slamming the door in his face.

Jane frowned. "I don't have her number," he said to himself. He readied himself and knocked again. A few moments later Stan reappeared, now angrier than occupied, "Stop knocking on the damn door, blondie. She's busy. Take a number." As he went to shut the door again Jane shoved his foot inside to stop him. "I just need a minute with her," he said to Stan. "Just to rearrange our date."

Stan looked at the foot lodged in the door. Harshly, "Move your damn foot and wait here."

Jane did as he was asked as the door was closed on him once more. A minute later Lisbon opened it slightly and he smiled at her.

"You forget we had plans?"

As soon as he'd witnessed Stan's behaviour he had a fair idea of what was going on inside but he wanted to see her for himself. Make sure she was okay. His suspicions were confirmed when he noticed the red marks on her arm, four distinct areas of pressure where someone's large hand had grabbed her forcefully. He was too slow in taking his eyes off them and she pulled the shirt she was wearing down to cover them.

"Sorry, Patrick," she said quickly, barely looking at him. "Um...something's come up. Can't make it today. Can we reschedule for tomorrow?"

"Are you okay? Your brothers?" he asked instead of answering her question.

"What?! Of course...why would you ask me something like that?"

He heard her name being called in the back and she went to close the door. "Sorry. Same time tomorrow?"

He nodded, smiling, "Sure."

She smiled slightly as she closed the door though it never made it to her eyes. His dropped his smile the moment she did. He took out his lock picking set and rolled his eyes. "This is the dumbest thing you've ever done in your life, Paddy," he told himself, shaking his head. All the same he began to pick the lock, smiling as he got it quickly. He was getting better at doing that. At least his father had taught him one useful skill. He let himself in quietly and closed the door behind him softly. He could hear the conversation clearly now that was going on in the kitchen. He walked into a portion of the living room that was obscured from view to hear better.

" _Maybe we should take him to hospital, Stan," Lisbon said._

" _No. He'll be okay. Won't you, Jimmy? Just a couple of punches in the gut," Stan replied._

" _I...I don't know..." Lisbon said, fear evident in her voice._

Jane could hear the sound of a cloth being rinsed out in water.

 _Stan replied, "You know they'll ask questions if we take him there again, T. We agreed only if we can't handle this ourselves would we go back there. It's too risky."_

" _I'm okay," Jimmy said. "Stan's right, sis. Just bandage my ribs up."_

Jane could hear the pain in his tone and his attempt to act like a grown up. Suddenly he felt exactly like what he was. An intruder sticking his nose into something that was none of his business.

" _All right but if you're having any signs of internal bleeding in half an hour then we're going," Lisbon said._

" _Ow!" Tommy exclaimed loudly._

Jane jerked back suddenly as he hadn't even realised he'd been present, toppling a book from the coffee table as he did so.

" _What the hell was that?!" Lisbon exclaimed._

Jane heard footsteps approaching rapidly all the while knowing there was no chance of running away in time. Stan rounded into the living room as Jane stood in the middle of it, grounded to the spot. He smiled sheepishly then grimaced, tensing in readiness as he saw Stan's fist swiftly advance towards him before making contact with his nose.

He saw stars as he fell to the ground.

Then black.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Thanks again for the lovely interest in this story. I hope you enjoy this chapter. I'm emotionally wrung out after writing it. I'm guessing one or two chapters left to finish this story.**

* * *

Chapter 7 - Admittance

As he opened his eyes he saw emeralds shining back at him. No. Darker than emeralds. More rifle green. The accompanying fire in them ironically made him feel like their target.

Blinking again the rest of her face came into focus. He smiled and she scowled as expected. Then the pain of his nose hit him. "Jesus!" he exclaimed, going to put a hand to his throbbing protuberance. She whisked his fingers away quickly as she put a damp towel on it instead. Then pain shot through it again. "What the hell are you doing?! That stings like a bitch!"

A whack to the back of his head swiftly followed and he turned his head to see Stan stand behind him. "Don't talk to my sister like that."

"Oh shut up, Stan," Lisbon said, glowering at her brother. "Don't think you're off the hook."

Jane smiled at her again, hoping the punch he'd received from her brother made up for the fact he'd just broken into her house. It quickly fell when he noticed how she was still looking at him. Concern for his injury but rage underneath that. Too angry to talk to him without biting.

He began anyway, "Look, I'm sorry-"

"Don't even try to talk your way out of this," she interrupted, her ministrations to clean up the blood from his nose suddenly turning into rough jabs. She held up three fingers to his face. "How many?"

The mood she was in he knew it was no time to mess with her. "Um...three."

She nodded quickly. Sternly, "If you get headaches or dizzy spells or are nauseous go to the E.R. Just in case you have a concussion. You were out for a couple of minutes."

"Thanks, doc," he smiled.

Her jabs became even rougher at his attempt at humour and he winced, taking the cloth from her hand, "I think I'd better do it. Your bedside manner could do with a little more practice."

She rolled her eyes and he watched from the kitchen chair he must have been sat on when he was briefly unconscious as she continued on bandaging up Jimmy's ribs. He noticed Tommy sitting beside him, a gash to his forehead that looked like it came from a bottle, Stan now in place as he cleaned it out, Tommy holding in the winces of pain it must have caused for him to do that. Jane considered him much braver than he was, certainly where physical pain was concerned. They all were. As he dabbed his nose lightly they all steadfastly ignored him. He watched as she pouted in concentration as she finished attending to Jimmy before she placed a soft kiss to his forehead with little outward affection in the action. But he saw the slight tremble of her hands, of her lips as she kept up her facade of detachment as she did so.

Of course like the thirteen year old boy he was her youngest brother wiped off her kiss with the back of his hand and a tut, pretending to be the adult he was not.

Something inside Jane broke at witnessing that gesture from her, all at once touched by her strength of character in that one simple fluid act. Suddenly he felt like he had just traversed a stage of his life, like he was now responsible for someone else's happiness. Or maybe, more correctly, that he _wanted_ to be responsible for it.

She turned back towards him, hardly looking at him at all. Her voice quaking slightly with the emotion she was holding in she said, "When you're feeling well enough to stand up get the hell out of my house. I never want to see you again."

"Teresa-"

"You heard her," Stan said as he came to stand beside her.

Shakily Jane got to his feet and placed the cloth down on the chair. "I'll go when I've talked properly to you," he said with unusual seriousness, addressing Lisbon alone. "And when you tell me that's actually what you want by looking straight at me."

As Stan went to come towards him Jane took a step back, afraid of another punch. Lisbon put a hand to his arm, stopping her brother's advance. She sighed. "Fine, we'll talk out back." She turned to Stan, "Won't be long. You okay to finish up?"

"Sure T got it covered."

* * *

He watched her pace back and forth on the porch at the back of the house as he sat on a step leading to the garden, hoping expelling some pent up energy would make her reconsider her abrupt decision. But when he began to get dizzy from staring at her he said, "Teresa, can you stop that and just look at me? If I don't have a concussion then I fear I might develop one before much longer."

She stopped and frowned at him, ascertaining his physical condition with a wary eye.

"I'm okay," he confirmed. "No lasting damage to my good looks," he grinned, shifting on the step to turn further towards her.

Unaffected, "What the _hell_ did you hope to achieve by breaking into my house, Patrick?-"

"I was worried about you-"

"You had _no_ right! Do you hear me? _No_ right!"

He reiterated calmly, "I was worried about you."

As a line appeared between her eyes he added, "I know it wasn't the cleverest of ideas. But I also knew if I asked you straight out you'd deny what's obviously going on here."

She swallowed quickly then shook her head. He knew a denial was coming before she opened her mouth. "You have no idea what-"

"I know your father is beating the crap out of you and our brothers," he interjected, his tone assured and a little harsh, hoping it would anger or shock her into coming clean with him.

He saw the emotions flick across her face like a flip book animation. Surprise. Brief acknowledgment. Shame. Upset. Annoyance. Defensiveness. Just a beat later, "You know nothing."

He sighed and shook his head. "You're an absolutely terrible liar."

"I am not!" she replied indignantly.

"Oh, so you'd rather be a good liar?" he smirked.

She licked her lips, a comforting gesture to aid her nervousness. An attempt made to make her expression neutral. She stared at him directly. Dispassionately but with an underlying tremble in her voice she couldn't control, "You wanted to talk. We've talked. We're done, Patrick."

He blinked rapidly for a second, frowned as her words sank in. "You don't mean that."

With more clarity, "Why? Because you always get whatever girl you want? Well, this time you don't. You crossed a line. You don't get a do over."

With that she flounced back into the house without another word leaving Jane gobsmacked as he sat on the step.

* * *

Even he had to admit he was below par at his show that night. For once he deserved the raking over the coals his father gave him. He'd passed over reading a mark with a dead younger brother who killed himself because she looked a little like Teresa in favour of a less emotional tale from an older woman who'd lost her husband due to a long term illness. At the end of the show he didn't feel the sense of elation he usually did, just weariness and regret. And some anger at the stubborn girl he couldn't get out of his head.

Not wanting to share the trailer with his father that night he did what he usually did when the weather was temperate. He pulled a coarse thick blanket onto a patch of grass that had views over the city he was visiting and laid it there, dragging a sleeping bag on top and pulling on a sweater over his open necked shirt for extra warmth. He'd enclose himself in the cocoon when the night turned chilly later on but for now he sat on the bag with his knees to his chest as he stared at the lights of Chicago beneath him. His mind predictably went to Teresa, wondering what new horrors she faced right at this moment or whether she was still cleaning up the mess from earlier that day. He had never met her father but in this instant he hated the man, an urge within him to make him pay for his mistreatment of his children.

As he frowned in irritation the clearing of a female throat to his right caught his attention. Immediately he turned his head and saw Teresa Lisbon standing there like an ethereal figure in blue jeans and black zipped up hooded sweatshirt. She wore a slightly sheepish and fearful visage and shifted uncomfortably on her toes.

"Hey," she said quietly. Before he had a chance to respond she added, "You can tell me to go to hell if you want."

Although stunned by her presence he replied evenly, "Well I don't believe in hell so it would be quite a waste of time and energy telling you to go there."

She smiled, a hint of unease perforating it.

He glanced at the empty spot beside him and she sat down, mirroring his stance.

For a few moments neither spoke and instead gazed at the glistening lights in front of them. Jane was rarely surprised and he needed a few moments to accept this turn of events while his heart raced with renewed hope. Lisbon played with the drawstring cords of her sweatshirt as she struggled with what she had to say next.

"So," she finally communicated, rolling her eyes at the depth of the scintillating dialogue she could initially manage.

"Hmm," Jane replied, unusually lost for words.

She cleared her throat and responded, "I guess you're surprised to see me after what I said earlier."

"Yeah," he nodded. "You could certainly say that. How's Jimmy?"

She nodded quickly, shoving her hands into the pockets of her sweatshirt. "He's fine. He doesn't look it but he's a tough little cookie."

"And Tommy? That looked like a nasty gash."

"They're both fine," she said quickly, snapping a little. She sighed. "I...I didn't come here to talk about them."

He turned his head towards her, raising an eyebrow. "You sure about that?"

Swiftly, "I just wanted to check if you were okay. Stan landed a pretty good punch."

He couldn't help smile a little at how some pride in her brother laced her tone as the words came out. "That he did. But I'm sure I'll live. However the blow you delivered straight after...well...that's a different matter entirely."

"It's better this way," she said quietly. "You don't want to be mixed up in all that."

"Mixed up in all what? According to you I'm mistaken. Unless you want to acknowledge the truth in what I said."

He watched as she struggled with admitting what was happening in her family, how hard it was to recognise it to herself never mind to him. She turned her face away from him again, set her lips in a tight line. She swallowed. Twice. Her eyes focused on the lights of her hometown. "Okay," she whispered. "You were right."

He went to put an arm around her but she shifted away immediately, turning her head further away from him. He heard her sniffing, saw her rubbing the sleeve of her sweatshirt to her eyes. He didn't know what to say to comfort her, didn't know if it was possible to under the circumstances. He just hoped if he got her to continue talking it might help. Instead of platitudes he wrapped his arms around his knees again and asked calmly, "How long has it been going on?"

"About a year after my mom died," she said, staring out at the lights again. "First he just drank...and drank." She shook her head. "He wasn't violent at all. Well, no more than he usually had been before that. You know the odd slap on the back of the hand when we were out of line, nothing more than that."

"And then?" he probed.

She shrugged, her tone almost conversational now as she talked, "Then it escalated."

"I'm sorry," he said softly, reaching out to take her hand, breathing out when she allowed him. For a few moments she watched his fingers caress her knuckles. Then her gaze drifted towards his face. As soon as he smiled at her she pulled her hand away. She went to get up and the words jumbled out of her. "Anyway...I should be getting back. Just thought I owed you an explanation. And...well make sure you were okay."

He stood up immediately, perplexed. "You're leaving? Just like that?" he asked incredulously.

She stopped and looked at him. "I still meant what I said, Patrick. You...you didn't start this with me to be dragged into all of my...family issues."

"Isn't that partly my choice to make, not just yours?"

"Oh come on, Patrick. You went after me because you wanted to have fun with me. Sex hopefully. Because I was...I don't know...some kind of puzzle you wanted to figure out. Well, well done. You've cracked the case. Or at least one of them. The last thing you want is this entanglement and the last thing I want is someone to go out with me because they feel sorry for me."

"You think I pity you?"

"I saw your face just now. What else would you call it?"

He shook his head, stepping closer to her. "I'd call it compassion for another human being who's going through a rough time." When faced with another defensive look he took her by her waist and pulled her close. He lowered his head and kissed her, moaning as the spark in his belly reignited as he expertly added his tongue as she parted her lips. He kissed her fiercely, all desire and hunger in it as he angled his head to deepen it as his hands fell to her ass and drew her flush to him. He released her lips and kissed from her jaw line to her ear, whispering, "Did that just feel like I was doing it out of pity, Teresa?"

Her heaving breaths and how her hands were bunched in his sweater gave him his answer. To solidify the point she moved her hands to his face and stared into his eyes before she placed her palms on both cheeks and kissed him in response, her own kiss now fuelled by craving and passion. They continued kissing until they haphazardly made their way back to the blanket with Jane hovering over her as they lost themselves in each other, panting and moaning as they carried on. Jane unzipped her sweatshirt and cupped her breast through the thin T shirt she wore, moving his kisses to her neck as he kneaded the soft mound and flicked his thumb through its bra clad peak. "You are so beautiful," he breathed, his lips finding her earlobe.

She shivered as each touch excited her more and more, bringing her further away from the depths of despair she felt earlier. Instead of her father's harsh grip this golden haired boy was almost reverent in his caresses over her skin. As he was kissing her lips again she moved her hands lower, fumbling to find the belt on his jeans. Unable to do so at the angle she was positioned in she pushed him onto his back rather unceremoniously and he stopped kissing her for a moment. Grinning, "Jeez, you're stronger than you look."

"You're lucky it wasn't me who punched you earlier," she grinned back, "You got off easy with Stan."

As he began to laugh she kissed him eagerly again. He put a hand to the back of her head with one hand as he began to move the other under her T shirt, teasing her breast once again. Then he felt her fingers loosen his belt and he pulled his head back from her. "What are you doing?"

She smiled impishly. "What do you think?"

He stilled her hand and blinked. "You _want_ to have sex with me now?"

She nodded quickly, diving in for another kiss and shoving his hand away. For a few seconds he considered giving her exactly what she wanted at this instant. Any other girl he would have been happy to take advantage of her vulnerable state. But as her fingers found his zipper and he felt the slight tremor in them he removed her hand and held it firmly. "No," he said, taking a breath. He took another deep breath and moved back into a sitting position, trying to calm down as he put a hand through his hair. He muttered to himself, "Jeez, did I really just say that?"

"No?" she questioned, pulling her T shirt down and gathering her sweatshirt around her, embarrassed by his rejection of her advances. "Why not? Is it because of earlier? Because of what you saw?"

He faced her immediately. "No! Of course not." A beat later, "Well not in the way you think."

He took her hand and shook his head, stopping her from fleeing when he saw her walls going back up. "You went through a lot today, Teresa. It would be...it would be taking advantage."

She frowned at him. "I'm fine," she replied defiantly.

"So you're saying this is how we would have ended up had we had our date earlier as planned? You barely let me touch you yesterday but well tonight...well," he tilted his head and bit the inside of his cheek.

Annoyed, "Well you didn't seem to have a problem copping a right good feel just then, did you? Huh? Where was this conscience of yours then?"

He couldn't stop a smile. "Well I admit it perhaps took a few seconds for it to kick in."

"More like minutes," she muttered, fuming still.

"And I enjoyed every second of them," he grinned, beginning to laugh. After a second she joined in as the sweetness of what he'd done...or hadn't done...began to sink in along with his opposing unapologetic stance on feeling her up.

* * *

Seconds later she lay back in his arms as he brought the sleeping bag up to cover them. "So, does this mean I'm not dumped then?" he said, kissing the top of her head.

"I suppose," she murmured.

"I should say so," he replied indignantly. "First time I was ever dumped by a girl in my life," he added, shaking his head.

"Really?" she said, propping herself up on his chest.

"No," he grinned, pecking her lips. He traced a thumb down her cheek, "First time it ever mattered to me though," he added softly.

She cleared her throat and placed her head back on his chest, uncertain if she really believed him. He was a charmer and knew just the right thing to say when he wanted to.

Reading her thoughts he chuckled lightly. "You know the problem with being a good liar? People don't always know when I'm actually being honest with them."

He turned her slowly in his arms so he could look at her. "Yesterday...well when I said I forgot we hadn't made plans-"

"You weren't intending on making them," she finished for him.

He nodded sheepishly.

"Why did you then?" she asked. "Why'd you change your mind?"

He pulled her tighter against him and ran his fingers up and down her back. "Because I was more afraid of never seeing you again than well...actually seeing you again."

She furrowed her brow in confusion.

"You felt it at the park, didn't you?" he continued, "That...change between us. Suddenly whatever this is between us didn't feel so light, carefree anymore. Suddenly things seemed a lot more serious."

She nodded, bit her lip. "I felt it too. It scares me to death if I'm honest. Especially when both of us know it'll come to an end at the end of the week anyhow. Might be part of the reason why I decided to cut and run as soon as the opportunity presented itself."

He smiled. "Yeah, me too."

She cuddled into him and kissed him gently. "Guess it didn't take."

"Guess not."

Warily, "Look, I'm not trying to pry-"

"Yeah, since when?" she smirked.

He smiled before he became serious again. "Isn't there someplace else you and your brothers could go and live?"

She sighed and released herself from his arms, sitting up again. "It's not all bad, Patrick. He's...okay a lot of the time. Just drinks too much and falls asleep in the armchair by the fire most evenings."

He sat up beside her, placing an arm around her shoulder. "But then-"

"But then sometimes it's not," she said quietly, her eyes focused on a spot in the distance. She turned to face him. "He works as a fire-fighter. It's a hard job. Sees a lot of bad stuff-"

"So do a lot of people. Just because he has a tough job it's not an excuse for his behaviour, Teresa."

"You think I don't know that?! I'm not stupid, Patrick. But what am I supposed to do, huh? Tell me that! My grandparents live in Florida and they're too old to take us in even if they had the space. My aunt lives in New York. She's got a tiny apartment. So what does that leave? Foster care for Tommy and Jimmy? Split us all up? They're a handful already. Wouldn't last two minutes with a foster family."

As she became increasingly agitated tears began to prick at her eyes. "Okay," he said, embracing her. "Okay. I'm sorry I brought it up." He kissed her cheek, kissed the tears away. "I'm sorry, okay."

She nodded, sniffing into his sweater. "I never talk about this stuff. How you got me to is beyond me. Think you must have hypnotised me or something," she said, her teariness giving way to annoyance with herself for crying.

He laughed, laying them back down again. "No. You're talking about this stuff as you put it because you obviously wanted to when you came here tonight. And I'm someone you'll probably never see again after this week so...helps to let out a little bit of the frustration you must feel to a relative stranger who knows the situation you're in. You're too busy showing how strong you are to your brothers to allow this side of you to come out and you'd never burden them with it in any case."

"I just feel plain trapped most of the time," she admitted. "Especially now when I'm supposed to be going to college in a couple of months. It's like a timer is counting down on my future all of a sudden. But they're my brothers, Patrick. I can't abandon them."

He paused, thinking hard on a way to help her. "I wish I could offer you a solution but...I don't see an easy one I'm afraid."

She kissed him lightly. "I'm not expecting one. But...well it's nice just having someone to vent to."

He kissed her back. "Then it's my pleasure. Vent away," he grinned, pecking her again.

"How often does it happen?" he asked as a comfortable silence overtook them as they gazed at the stars overhead.

"Sometimes not for weeks. Like this time it was over a fortnight since he lashed out."

"So it's not daily. At least that's something I suppose."

"It's actually a kind of relief when it happens."

He turned to face her. Frowning, "A relief? Are you kidding me?"

She nodded seriously. "Yeah. I mean when he...when he hasn't done anything for a while you can feel the tension mount. Like a pressure valve being turned every day, the meter notching up a little more day by day. You're almost hoping for a release. Just to have it over with. Because, well with him anyway, once he lets off steam and we all come out of it the other side relatively unscathed like we did today then he doesn't come near anyone of us for days. Sulks in his bedroom or just stays at the bar he goes to or stays with one of his friends. Leaves us in peace for a few days at least before the cycle starts again."

"Jesus," Jane sighed. "I think that's one of the saddest things I've ever heard in my life."

She shrugged noncommittally, "Like anything else you get used to it when something's been that way for a long time." She cast him a steely gaze. "Now, if you're going to start pitying me-"

"I'm not, okay?" he smiled, gathering himself together after her revelation and putting on a cheery facade. "Besides, how on earth could I or anyone else pity you at this moment in time? Do you know how many girls would envy you if they saw you right now? You're cuddled up on a blanket with a devilishly handsome creature like me under the stars. You're undoubtedly the luckiest girl in the world right now, Teresa Lisbon."

She smiled, knowing the sudden show of arrogance he was putting on was for her benefit to lighten the atmosphere but she couldn't help believe that his last sentiment wasn't far from the truth.


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Thanks again for all the lovely support this story has gained. This is the second to last chapter and is slightly M rated towards the end.**

* * *

Chapter 8 – Disclosure

"You know I know exactly what you're doing," Jane smiled as he wiped pizza sauce from his mouth with a thin paper napkin.

Lisbon took a bite of her slice of pepperoni, swallowed it quickly. "What? Eating?" she laughed.

They were sitting on white plastic stools at the front counter of a takeout pizza place, people watching out the window with Jane running commentary beside her intermittently. They'd been there twenty minutes, their bikes parked outside the shop. At Lisbon's insistence they were to cycle and bus it around Chicago for the afternoon so Jane could get a better feel for the city she was born in.

"Funny," he replied, taking a long sip of his soda through the straw. "No. What you're trying to show me is that you don't need money to have a good time. You've taken it upon yourself to teach me a life lesson today, Teresa Lisbon."

"Or maybe I just wanted you to try the pizza here."

"Hmm. It's not bad for a dollar a slice I admit." He kissed her cheek before whispering in her ear seductively, "But just in case I'm right I already know how to have an extremely good time without spending a cent."

"Yeah, I'm sure you do," she replied with an eye roll.

He grinned and placed his hand on her lower back, rubbing it gently. "You a little jealous of my former paramours?" he teased.

"Yeah, right," she said quickly. She turned her face to him. "And what century are you from? Paramours, seriously?"

"The English language is filled with a rich tapestry for narrative, Teresa. Why limit ourselves to a handful of words?"

"Yeah, you're just trying to make it sound like you're not some kind of player in some fancy way," she smirked.

He brought his fingers from her back to her waist and pulled her closer. "Not at the moment," he said, kissing her earlobe gently. "Strictly a one woman man."

"Yeah, one woman at a time," she came back with to hide the flutter of her heart. Blushing she swivelled in her seat and gave him a quick peck on the lips. "Talking of the English Language, where did you go to school? Home schooled I'm guessing for the most part if you travel around as much as you do."

"Suppose you could say that. Schooled myself at home so it's tantamount to the same thing. Went to a few schools when I was younger though. But hard to learn anything when you move around as much as we do. Although in the winter months we stay near Carson Springs so I attended some schools there for longer periods, much good it did me. Stopped after I finished Middle School. And even that bored me to death." He laughed, "Ran away more than I sat behind a desk. Or fell asleep at one. Or sent to the principal's office for talking back. Good place to practice my skills, though," he added, chuckling.

"Oh my god, you conned the other kids out of their lunch money, didn't you?"

His grin and twinkling eyes gave her the answer. He didn't mention he'd managed to con a couple of his teachers too.

She frowned as she took the information in. "Hang on, so you're saying you never attended High School?"

He shook his head and shrugged. "Nah, I was busy."

"Busy, doing what?"

"Refining my skills. Learning my craft. By that stage I wanted more of a challenge. And school wasn't the place to get it. I already knew I was the smartest person in the room there. And that included most of the teachers," he said assuredly.

"God, you really are full of yourself sometimes," she said, shaking her head.

He ignored her jibe and continued, "It gets dull when you pull the same trick again and again on the same people. I wanted a wider audience and a bigger act."

"You realise what you're talking about is terrible, right? Conning people?"

He shrugged nonchalantly. When she first met him she'd have thought he was unfazed by her statement by his apparent lack of empathy. But now when she narrowed her eyes at him, she saw something behind the smile he wore and the arrogant persona. Something in his eyes. Some kind of sadness. Guilt, even.

"I know you're not the hard hearted conman you think you are."

"Oh, I'm not, am I?" he smiled.

"No, you're not," she said with conviction. "Before we came in here today you helped that kid with his kite when we cycled through that park. Told him the way to hold it and the direction to get the best chance of the wind catching it. You had patience with him and did that to help him. Not because you wanted something out of it."

He smiled and kissed her quickly. "Ah but that's where you're wrong."

When she frowned he added, "Because I knew doing that would make me endear myself to you some more. Your little compassionate heart would explode with that one cute little act. Worth five minutes of my time any day," he grinned.

She regarded him for a moment, trying to ascertain if he was being honest. She shook her head at him. "I'm still not buying it. At least not all of it."

"Up to you," he laughed.

She went back to their original conversation. "So when you skipped school, didn't your father drag you back there?"

He chuckled, "Hell no. But he hated it when I got caught doing something. Meant he had to come down to get me out of it." He laughed again. "It wasn't the trouble I was in he cared about. Not the schooling I'd miss when I was suspended occasionally. Just pissed and angry that I hadn't covered my tracks better so they could pin it on me."

A pang of sympathy hit her in the gut. "Have you really never gotten on with your dad?" she asked softly. At least she had good memories of when her father wasn't the man he was now. She still hoped she'd see that side of him again someday.

He thought for a long moment as he swirled the soda around the paper cup in his hand. He sighed and stared ahead as he nibbled on his lower lip. "I used to think there was nobody like him," he finally admitted quietly, a hint of admiration in his tone. He smiled, his expression wistful and painful simultaneously. Then he blinked, took in his surroundings as a couple of young teenagers stormed through the door at their side jostling each other. "Can we pick this up later?" he asked, nodding to the noisy intruders.

"You sure you're not avoiding the subject?" she asked, an eyebrow arched.

He shook his head. Sincerely, "You were honest with me last night. I owe you the same in return, Teresa. I promise I'll tell you later." He laughed suddenly as he looked to the ceiling. "Jesus, what have you turned me into, Teresa Lisbon?" he sighed, shaking his head.

She grinned immediately, pecked his lips. "A real person with real feelings?" she ventured.

"Hmm," he replied. "Just as well we're going our separate ways the day after tomorrow then so I can get back to the fakery without a conscience or a girl to hold me back."

As soon as the words were out of his mouth he sighed, his eyes betraying his true thoughts instantly when he saw the same flicker of pain in Lisbon's opposite him. They'd agreed not to discuss the subject of their parting and to enjoy the time together they had left but both knew it was going to prove more than a little difficult to sever their ties.

He kissed her quickly as he popped off the stool. "Come on, then. Let's see what else you have lined up for me in this fair city of yours," he said cheerfully as he went to take her hand to help her down.

* * *

After a long afternoon spent with Lisbon showing him around her hometown they ended up in Lincoln Park again, cuddled up together at the base of an old oak tree. Jane leaned on its trunk with his arms around Lisbon's waist as she lay against his chest, their bikes strewn in front of them. Periodically he'd drop a kiss to her hair or she'd turn and they'd make out a little between discussing music and literature. They'd decided to lay off any heavy conversations for the last hour and she had asked him specifically not to bring up her father at all. At the moment they were watching a family of ducks make their way to a lake nearby to cool off as the late afternoon sun still shone brightly. "So, you were going to tell me more about your dad," she said out of the blue.

He dropped a kiss to the top of her head as he ran his fingers up and down her arms in lazy strokes. Even though she couldn't see his face she knew his eyes were closed when he let go of a sigh. "I was hoping you'd forgotten about that," he replied.

She turned around and released herself from his arms before sitting cross legged in front of him on the grass. Silently she nodded for him to speak.

He smiled warmly at her. "You know you will make an excellent cop. Using silence as an interrogation technique."

"And you'll be a master of deflection for sure."

He nodded and looked off to the side for a moment as he bit the inside of his cheek before looking back at her as he brought his knees up to his chest. "Okay, I suppose I did promise I'd tell you. But to be honest my history with my father is...well...it's better than your current situation with yours."

"It's not a competition about who has the most sucky dad, Patrick. It's about opening up."

He raised an eyebrow. "And you're so good at that," he replied sarcastically.

Defensively, "I was last night." She added quietly, "With you."

Her huge green eyes staring at him he was powerless to do anything but be truthful. "Okay then. So like I said when I was a kid I thought...well he was like the coolest dad around. There are always a bunch of kids around in any carnival we joined and, despite what you might think, most people who work on the circuit, or at least the ones with kids anyhow, do a pretty good job at keeping a tight rein on them. Have to really, can't have a bunch of unruly pre adolescents wreaking havoc when people are trying to make a living."

"But your father was different," Lisbon commented, leaning closer as she listened to him intently.

"He was. After my mom died there was no one to keep me in line. He allowed me to stay up as late as I liked, eat cereal or candy bars for dinner if I felt like it, didn't make me do my homework. As long as I didn't bring any trouble to his door then he was happy to let me do what I wanted. Then...when I was about...I don't know...seven or eight I guess he started to incorporate me into his act. Nothing much to start with. But there's nothing more endearing to older women than a cute kid going round collecting tips." He winked mischievously at her, "Had the ladies eating out of the palm of my hand even then."

She rolled her eyes and sighed with a smile. "I'm sure you did. Go on."

"I should give you a little more background for context. My family...well it's not just me or my father who pretend to be psychic. It's like a long family tradition to do so. Each generation teaches the next one. You know, the tricks in reading people, what to look out for, how to interpret the tiniest piece of information and make a story out of it-"

"And your father taught you."

"Yeah, when I got to ten or so he started to really take me onboard, groom me for the act I suppose. We'd sit on the Ferris wheel with a pair of binoculars and he'd point out what he could tell about people. To begin with I loved it, gave me some time with him and when I was that age there was nothing more I wanted. I used to pretend I was impressed by what he could do-"

"You weren't?"

He laughed softly. "To be honest he was terrible at reading people. Still is. He was great at hooking them, telling them what they wanted to hear, a master at using manipulation and any lie he could think of to get what he wanted out of them but...reading them? Nah, not so much."

"So you pretended so you wouldn't hurt his feelings?" she frowned.

He moved forward and took her hand gently, opening her palm and kissing it softly. "You're adorable," he smiled. He released her hand and said, "No. I didn't tell him because I wasn't sure what his reaction would be."

She tensed immediately. "You were afraid of him. Did he ever-?"

He shook his head, putting her fears to rest that he was beat up by his dad too. "Nothing on...well nothing on your scale," he said quietly. "But, yeah, he can be pretty mean when he wants to be. More of a bully than anything else. Hurts more with his words than he does with his fists. And..." his voice trailed off as he looked away. "Well I'm not as courageous as you are, Teresa. I'd rather run away than fight back."

His bravado stripped bare her heart pounded loudly in her chest. She leaned over and brought his lips to hers in a long kiss. "I'd say you're being pretty courageous right now."

He smiled and cupped her cheek, kissing her. Before he could entice her to stop this conversation with his lips she pulled away from him again. "Finish what you were saying first," she told him with a smirk.

He rolled his eyes but nodded. "I better get at least ten minutes kissing time nonstop after all this," he said with a theatrical sigh, his voice strong again and the cheekiness back in his tone. "Okay, where was I? Right, him being bad at reading people. Okay. Well one day he was reading this woman all wrong and I couldn't help myself; I corrected him without even thinking about it. As soon as the words were out of my mouth I was bricking it."

"What happened?" she asked, wide eyed.

"Well at first he looked like he was about to throw me out of the Ferris Wheel," he laughed. "Then he asked me why he was wrong. So I told him. Then this smile broke out on his face."

"So instead of being angry or upset he was proud of you."

"That's what I thought at first. Well...for quite a while actually. Shortly after that he got me to do it all the time. Read people, explain to him how I knew what I knew. He was so excited. Said I had X-Ray eyes. For a while things were great, much better between us. I thought that we'd bridged some sort of gap, connected finally. Felt like he respected me, a little anyway."

"Sounds like it. So what changed?"

"I suppose you could say I had an awakening." Jane thought back to the dying girl he'd conned a few years earlier when he'd realised the man his father truly was, the depths he'd go to for a quick buck. The night he began making plans to get away. "I realised it wasn't pride he had in me. I was just his Golden Goose."

"Patrick-"

"Don't say I'm mistaken, Teresa. I see that time for what it was now. I was naive as clever as I was. As I am. I supposed I saw what I wanted to see. A better man than he actually was."

"I'm sorry," she offered, placing her hand on top of his.

"No matter. I'll be gone soon enough."

"To make your fortune," she smiled.

"You still insisting that's a superficial goal? It'll give me options, Teresa. Something a lot of people don't get to have."

"Suppose. So my life lesson today hasn't worked then?"

Instead of answering her question he propelled himself forward and began tickling her until she lay back on the grass as he hovered over her, his groin out of the range of her legs that were flailing wildly as she laughed. He stopped and took a breath as she regained control of hers. "So you admit that was your aim today?" he finally said, kissing her.

"I'm admitting nothing," she laughed, wrapping her arms around his neck and bringing his lips towards hers.

As they continued kissing a sudden rain shower began to pour down on them. Lisbon stopped kissing immediately and tried to move back to the relative dryness of the tree behind them. But Jane laughed, holding his head up to catch the raindrops in his mouth as he held her hands to the now wet grass stopping her from fleeing. He dropped his lips to hers again as the droplets of water intermingled with the moistness of her soft lips. "Patrick!" she laughed as she felt his T shirt stick to him and to her. "We're going to catch cold!"

After a few seconds he released her hands and pulled her up then rushed her over to the trunk of the tree to find shelter as people scurried past them seeking somewhere dry themselves. The leaves from the large oak tree overhead kept them from the worst of the passing heavy shower and he put his arms around her as they began to shiver. Instead of being angry at making her get drenched he saw arousal in her eyes instead as she looked up at him, rain glistening on her rosy cheeks. Then he noticed her stare at his chest, visible through the white T shirt he wore as it clung to his frame. He dropped his eyes to her equally saturated clothing, her jeans clinging to her and her jade green T shirt sticking to her, hardened peaks visible underneath it. He pressed her gently against the tree with his body against hers and kissed her as his hair dripped on her face. She reciprocated, her body almost humming audibly to him as she did so. He pressed a knee in between her legs as they continued, her hands warming the coldness of his back as she slid them underneath his top. He raised his knee a little and she gasped as it pressed into her crotch. She opened her eyes and he opened his and for a brief moment they stopped what they were doing and stared at each other. Her eyes darted from side to side and he smiled instantly, knowing it was only the thought of being seen that had made her hesitate in wanting him to continue. He kissed her neck, pressing his knee into the spot again gently before he whispered in her ear. "There's no one watching. Only two idiots would still be out in this rain."

She chuckled a little at that before she gasped again as he began to make circular motions with his kneecap pushed against the apex of her thighs. She moaned and he delved in for another searing kiss, the little keening noises she was making like shots of an aphrodisiac potion. Fiercely she kissed him as he continued, arching her body into his and widening her legs slightly so she could feel more from him. She had never been so turned on in her life and as he reached under her T shirt to caress her breast she groaned with lust. "Patrick!" she gasped, placing her hand over her T shirt on top of his underneath it.

"I'm covering you, no one can see even if they pass by," he said as he moved her bra up to take the bud in his hand, tweaking it gently and rubbing it with his thumb. "God I want to taste you," he whispered in her ear. She shuddered, unsure if it was because of the coldness of her skin or because of his words, low and deep with lust. "I'm absolutely crazy for you, Teresa."

She could hardly react as he attacked her lips again, his tongue plundering her mouth unashamedly. His free hand he moved to her jeans button. She moaned and if she hadn't suddenly been aware of a crowd of children who ran past them screaming loudly as they shielded their heads with their hands to get out of the rain she was almost certain she would have let him continue. She stilled his hand and shook her head through his kiss. He grabbed her waist instead, pulled her closer to him. She felt him hard against her and her restraint almost left her entirely. "We have to stop!" she panted. "We can't do it here!"

That was enough for him to pull back a little, study her intently as he breathed heavily. "But somewhere else?" he asked, frowning. Of course he'd fantasised about having sex with her. Every night since he'd met her. And every morning. And even though he had just been more than a little out of control just now he'd never want it to be against the trunk of a tree if he thought it actually possible at all. He had just wanted to extend that feeling of pure euphoria and desire for as long as he could and for a few seconds couldn't help his body's ache for her. Not when she was clearly enjoying their make out session as much as he was.

She nodded, pushing at his chest to gain some distance between them. "Yes," she said simply.

Doubt plagued him momentarily. "Look, I know I was getting a little carried away just now but-"

"I meant what I said last night. I want to us to have sex." She blushed as she said the last word, looked away for a moment. Then she kissed him gently just as the rain stopped. "You were right last night to stop it from happening. But...it's still what I want."

"Okay," he said, beginning to grin just as the sun came back out.

"Okay?" she replied, laughing nervously. "That's all you have to say?"

"Well even I'm not idiot enough to turn you down twice, Teresa." He traced his fingers down her cheek as his tone turned solemn. "But if we do it will probably make things more difficult when..." He shrugged and she sighed and nodded, both understanding that if they had sex then it would make parting ways inevitably more painful.

"I know," she whispered. "But I still want to do it."

He took her hand and brought it to his lips. "If you're sure. Tomorrow night?"

She nodded. "Tomorrow night. You'll be able to borrow a car? You know so we can-"

"Leave it to me. You'll be able to make your escape? I won't have your brothers after me with pitchforks, will I?"

She laughed quietly. "You might if they guess what I'm up to. I'll tell them I'm going over to a friend from school's house and might stay over so we can...well you know...I won't be in any hurry to get home. Dad's still at one of his loser friends" places so Stan can mind the other two."

"Sounds like a plan then," he grinned.

* * *

 **A/N: Last chapter up next! And then the sequel starts...**


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: So we're at the last chapter of this one. Sequel is up next, hoping to get it started next week. This chapter has some M rated sections (although they're not very graphic) but it's a lengthy one for those who want to skim past them. Thank you again to all who have read, reviewed, followed and favourited this story.**

* * *

Chapter 9 – Goodbyes

He pulled up at the park to wait for her, his leg shaking as he held it on the gas pedal. He took a breath to calm his nerves. He'd never been this agitated before at the thought of having sex, quite the opposite. Normally he was on cloud nine by the time he'd got to this stage, waiting for the sweet payoff of charming a girl. He saw her approach and his heart fluttered in his chest. "Keep it together, Paddy," he told himself under his breath. "It's just sex, you've done it before. Never had any complaints."

She smiled as he flashed his headlights to attract her attention, picking up her pace and pinning back a lock of hair behind her ear. She wore a sleeveless black buttoned up chiffon top, the first two buttons undone, her cross swaying as she walked. She'd paired it with a pair of tight black jeans and she carried a large brown leather handbag over her shoulder. He exited the black Chevy Impala he'd borrowed and came to meet her. "Hey you," he said, kissing her immediately with a smile.

"Hey yourself," she smiled. She glanced at the vehicle. "Nice ride."

As she saw Jane's eyebrow raise in amusement she caught immediately the inadvertent double entendre she'd just made and stammered, "Um...I mean nice car."

He laughed softly, putting his hand on her lower back as he guided her to the passenger door.

As soon as she got in she put her bag on the floor and buckled her seatbelt. "So, there's this spot where...well it's a local make out spot I suppose. Thought we could go there. I mean...we don't have to go straight away. We can just drive around for a while...or go have a coffee or something before we...er...-"

"Teresa," he interrupted softly, "We don't need to rush. You have all night, correct?"

"Yeah," she replied, trying to relax her heartbeat. At the moment it felt like her heart was lodged in her throat. She swallowed, hoping to shift it back to her chest.

"Take a breath," he smiled.

She nodded. Took a long breath. "Sorry, little nervous," she admitted.

He leaned over and kissed her softly. "So this make out spot?" he smirked, "Been there often?"

She shrugged as she began to smile, "Maybe a...couple of times."

He laughed softly. "Well you won't be going there tonight."

She frowned immediately. "You don't want to? You've...you've changed your mind?"

"No."

"No you don't want to?"

He grinned. "No. I haven't changed my mind. I've just lined up somewhere a little better than the back seat of a car."

"Really, where?"

"You'll see," he smiled as he started the engine.

* * *

As they pulled up at a Motel on the edge of town Jane parked up. He nodded to the whitewashed walls of the mid range Motel chain. "I know it's not the Ritz but it's better than the back of a car, right?" he said to her.

She nodded, "Yeah...look I'll go half on the cost-"

"You most certainly will not," he laughed, kissing her quickly. "I'll go get the key, be back in a minute."

As soon as he got out of the car she let go of a breath. Took another deep one. This was really happening. She was about to have sex with Patrick Jane. She closed her eyes, tried to control the panic that was taking over her, willing herself to be nonchalant and aloof instead of the nervous wreck she was descending into. A minute later she saw him exit the manager's office, dangling a key with a grin on his face. "Oh god," she whispered. "Okay, Teresa. Just get on with this. You can do it."

She planted a smile on her face and opened the door, getting out as Jane approached. He kissed her and locked the car, taking her hand and leading her to a room at the far side of the Motel. "Room 18, here we go," Jane said cheerfully as he opened the door and motioned for her to go in first. It was actually a bit nicer on the inside than she imagined. Twin queen size beds looked clean and carpet was soft under her feet. She dropped her bag onto one of the beds.

"Ah, it's not too bad at all," Jane said at her back as he put his arms around her and kissed the side of her head.

"No, it's nice," she commented, nodding. "But you shouldn't have gone to all this trouble, Patrick."

He moved her hair out of his way and began to nuzzle her neck, "No trouble at all," he said, his tone low. She angled her head and he increased the intensity of his kisses accordingly. "I can't wait to make love to you, Teresa," he added. "I have so much planned for you tonight."

"You...you do?" she said, her voice high.

"Hmm...I do hope you're the adventurous sort," he chuckled, his voice husky. "I have a feeling you're very limber. That'll come in useful when we experiment with a new position I've wanted to try-"

She pulled away from him immediately and turned around swiftly, "Huh?!"

He laughed at once. "I'm kidding!" he said through chortles. "Had to lighten the mood. You looked like you were about to go to the gallows instead of having sex with me."

She crossed her arms across her chest and glared at him. "Oh, ha ha, Patrick. Very funny."

He came closer and took her waist gently. "Sorry," he smiled, "couldn't resist." He kissed her gently, deepening it slowly. "You okay?" he asked softly afterwards.

She nodded, "Yeah, of course," she said, clearing her throat.

She went up on her tiptoes and kissed him passionately. He stumbled back a little, surprised by the suddenness and ferocity of the attack but soon righted himself, matching her intensity. She began to unbutton the light blue shirt he wore over his jeans, her fingers fumbling over the buttons as she attempted to do so hastily.

"Teresa," he breathed, catching hold of her hands mid way down his chest. "Stop rushing."

She panted and rolled her eyes. "So what if I am? Let's just do this and get it over with," she replied with irritation.

He widened his eyes at her remark and then laughed. "Well I know you have little patience but...I think that's the most unromantic statement I've ever heard in my life."

She stuttered, "I...I didn't mean it like that."

He took a deep breath and sat on the edge of the bed, nodding to a space beside him for her to sit. After she did so he licked his lips nervously. "Look, I was hoping you were going to tell me but obviously you're not going to." He looked deep in her eyes and smiled softly at her, his eyes circling her face. "I know," he said quietly. "I know you haven't done this before."

She blinked twice rapidly then shook her head vehemently. "What? No! Of course I have. I mean...I haven't done it much-"

"Or at all," he smirked.

She glowered at him and he chuckled before his face softened again. "It's okay that you haven't. Believe it or not we were all born that way."

After a second when she gauged she was unequivocally caught out she put her head in her hands in defeat. "Oh god, I'm mortified, was it that obvious?"

He draped an arm around her shoulders and kissed the side of her head. "Um...yeah...fairly."

"Oh god," she mumbled through her hands.

He laughed and brought her closer, kissing her hair again. "Will you stop being embarrassed about it? It doesn't make any difference to me. If anything, I'm flattered."

She released her hands and looked at him. "You are?"

He kissed her gently. "Who wouldn't want be to be Teresa Lisbon's first?"

She smiled at him, kissed him back. "But...I'm probably going to be terrible. I mean...I've come close...well kind of but..." her voice trailed off as she stared into his eyes. "Well I've never really felt strongly enough about someone to take that step."

"Wow, now _I'm_ nervous," he replied with a short laugh. "I'm not exactly Casanova myself, Teresa. I haven't been with as many girls as you might think. As I'm sure you know by now I'm a lot of hot air most of the time."

She raised a sceptical eyebrow and he rolled his eyes. "See, there it is again. When I'm honest no one believes me!" he laughed.

"But you've been with some," she confirmed.

He nodded. "Better for you that way, I assure you." He leaned in, whispered in her ear as if they were in company. "I'll tell you a secret. First time. Four seconds." He paused for effect. "And three of those were foreplay."

She widened her eyes as she drew her face to his and he guffawed. "Okay, maybe a little longer than that," he admitted. "But seriously not by all that much."

She began to relax as she suspected was the reason for his joke and giggled. "That's why people don't believe you when you tell the truth. Because you follow it with a straight up lie!"

"It's always good to keep them guessing," he shrugged. After a beat he was serious again. "Teresa, we don't have to do anything you're not comfortable with tonight. If you're not ready you're not ready. We can still stay here, spend the night together, watch some TV, make out. You know I won't pressure you."

"I know you won't," she replied, kissing his cheek. "I think that's why I want it to be you. I...I trust you Patrick."

He swallowed the intensity of the emotion he felt by her words. Tried to make a joke out for fear she'd seen the effect they had on him. "Well that's your first mistake," he smiled.

Her stare unwavering she shook her head. "No, it's not."

He let his mask fall, took a ragged breath. "I've never...I've never felt responsibility like this before-"

"You're not responsible for me."

"No. But I'm going to be responsible...well jointly responsible for a defining moment in your life. I was serious earlier, I am nervous. It's...well it's some pressure for me."

She laughed softly, nodded to her bag on the other bed. "I brought some Scotch with me, figured a couple of shots might loosen me up. Wanna give it a go?"

He shook his head slowly as he brushed her lips. "As nervous as I am I want to remember every second of tonight. Whatever happens or...doesn't happen."

She took a sharp intake of breath and tears threatened. This was going to be their last night together before they said their farewells and she could tell that it was hitting him as hard as it was her. "Me too," she said through a ragged breath. "Me too."

Gently he kissed her again, his hand coming up to cup her face, lingering his fingers on her cheek. It was slow and sweet and she melted into it after a second, his soft strokes with his tongue calming her like a lullaby. He softly lowered her onto her back as they continued kissing and soon she lay on the centre of the bed as he hovered over her, their lips entwined. His kisses were like soft waves crashing onto her lips, rhythmic and relaxing. Then he picked up the pace, turned them more insistent, needful. She responded in kind, her fingers tightening on the curls at the nape of his neck as their chests rose and fell more rapidly, hearts pounding against each other. He raised his head, took a deep breath and smiled at her as she took a much needed one too. "You'll tell me if you want me to stop," he asked breathlessly.

She nodded, "You think I wouldn't?" she smirked.

He laughed softly. "Well I'd rather you tell me than knee me somewhere it might hurt if I rush you."

She brought his lips back down on hers for a quick kiss. "I want this, Patrick. I'm sure. But if I change my mind you'll know about it."

"Okay," he smiled, kissing her forehead. "Then let's get a little more comfortable." Immediately he got off the bed and toed off his shoes before taking off Lisbon's, unable to resist tickling her feet in the process. He grinned as she laughed before he made his way back to the bed and lay beside her again. He pressed a kiss to her lips again as his fingers traced the buttons on her top. He held himself up on an elbow as he looked at her before he undid the last button.

"Can we turn the light off?" she whispered. "And get under the covers?"

He smiled and nodded. He would have preferred to have seen her with it on but he reached behind him and tapped the light switch that lay at the top of the headboard, turning the room a hazy shade of black as they shuffled under the quilt and blankets. Jane pushed the quilt to the bottom of the bed, leaving the sheet covering them from the waist down. Her pale skin looked almost ethereal pitched against the darkness of her clothing. "Okay?" he checked as he unfastened another button slowly.

She nodded. "Yeah, I'm good."

He moved further down the bed now her stomach was bare and he began pressing kisses to it as his fingers continued working on the buttons of her top. "You are so beautiful, Teresa," he stated as he peppered kisses over the smooth and flat skin. She arched into him, finding his hair again and rifling her fingertips through it. He darted his tongue out and tasted her just below her breasts, her top lying askew only held to her body by three buttons that covered her breasts. Instead of opening it he continued to kiss her belly and she panted, her breasts calling out for the same attention. "Patrick!" she gasped, both aroused and annoyed.

"Hmm?" he replied, a touch of amusement in his tone. "Something wrong?" he asked, grinning as he tasted her belly button and felt her rise from the bed to meet his mouth.

Before she had a chance to respond he moved his tongue back up her abdomen until it reached the valley of her breasts. He kissed the centre of her bra and then bypassed her chest to kiss her lips again. "Have you never been teased before, Teresa? Let me guess, the few boys you allowed get this far were so joyful that they'd managed to well...get this far they tried to rush the ending. This in turn ended any chance they had of getting further. Thought more about themselves than they did you." He pecked her lips again. "I'm not about to apologise for taking my time. You have no idea how much it's killing me not to act like they did. And I can't deny that I've done exactly what they did myself in the past." He smiled cheekily. "Albeit with different results." He kissed her again, his eyes dark with intensity, "But not with you." With that he kissed her again before he ducked his head back to her stomach.

"But I'm so hot," she complained through quick breaths.

"You certainly are," he chuckled. Then he pulled the sheet away from her body swiftly as he continued to feast on her stomach before moving his lips to her side. "Better?"

"Not really," she replied, her face ablaze as his lips ignited fires all across her body.

As her skin was scorching hot she began to unbutton the last buttons of her top herself.

As Jane noticed what she was doing he exclaimed, "Hey, that's cheating!"

"Deal with it," Lisbon replied, barely able to breathe to get the words out as she raised herself to fling the top away.

He laughed as she had evidently become more relaxed with him seeing her body even if it was mostly because she was warm. Then he took in the appearance of her breasts clad in black lace. "Gorgeous," he breathed, licking his lips in anticipation. "Now you're really not playing fair," he smiled. He lowered his face to them, kissing her nipples through the lace of her bra. Then he focused on one breast, both his hands stretching the material so he could tease one peak so it protruded. She shuddered immediately as he licked it quickly, warm and soft against his tongue, contradictory to the rough material it was encased in. He moaned in delight, lapping at it again and again, his hands grasped around her breast to make it stay erect. He teased it with his teeth and felt her convulse under him. He took her hand with one of his, felt her pulse skit rapidly under his finger as she held his hand tightly as he continued licking and biting the bud gently. Panting he released it, his face flushed and his blood boiling with pure lust. He'd never felt this before, this out of control and almost reckless with desire for someone. He took a few seconds to gather himself as his body quivered from the intense reaction it was having to this girl. He closed his eyes briefly, using a new method of control he had been studying that used biofeedback tricks to make his body behave as he wanted. As his erection was almost painful by this stage he realised he still had a lot to learn.

"Patrick, you okay?" she asked, softly, her fingers caressing his bicep.

He nodded, opened his eyes. "Yeah...just...um...I'm fine," he reassured her, gaining a fraction of control back.

She bit her lip, seeing the want in his eyes and she reached up to unbutton the rest of his shirt. Almost shyly she kissed his chest, bare and toned, trailing soft kisses to his collarbone and shoulders as she slipped it off them. He weaved his hands through her hair, massaging the spots just beneath her ears as she kissed his body, moaning lightly with every kiss she placed. He released her head for a moment to shove the shirt off before he cupped her face again and plundered her mouth with abandon. He moved one hand to her bra hook and whispered in her ear, "Okay if we get rid of this?"

She nodded as he released her bra before settling her on her back again. Slowly he removed it, watching her avidly for any sign of discomfort. He noticed a touch of shyness but nothing more as she troubled her lip again and smiled at him. He grinned back as he ran his fingertips over her breasts with the lightest of touches, moved his mouth close to breathe on one then the other. "You're a work of art, Teresa Lisbon," he sighed happily before he took one in his mouth. She gasped immediately as he ran his tongue around the areola with lightning quick strokes, closing her eyes as her vision clouded with desire. She felt him give her other breast the same attention and writhed, clutching at his hand again.

She was breathing heavily when she felt him release her breasts after what felt like both hours and minutes simultaneously. She was almost over stimulated but yet didn't want him to stop. "Let's get these off," she heard him say as he released her jeans button. When she didn't respond she felt his breath on her face and she opened her eyes. "Okay?" he asked, obviously needing confirmation.

She nodded quickly. "God yes, I'm on fire."

He chortled again and kissed her lips before he got off the bed and pulled the quilt the whole way off the bed, throwing it into a corner of the room. He dragged the sheet to the side as he wrenched her jeans from her legs slowly until he tossed them on the ground behind him. He removed her socks and kissed her toes for a couple of seconds as he admired her practically naked in front of him. He quickly memorised the moment, giving it pride of place and a vision he would likely call on upon on a cold winter's night quite often he imagined.

"They're in my bag," Lisbon said, making him draw his gaze from her body to her face. He was evidently not hiding the eagerness of the desire he had for her too well. "Stopped by the drugstore earlier."

"Okay," he nodded, trailing kisses up her calf. "I brought some too but we can use yours."

He kissed her other leg in the same fashion, his eyes fixed on her face. "We don't need one yet, though."

"No?"

"No."

He knelt on the bed between her legs, spreading them gently. He felt her tense and kissed the inside of her thigh tenderly. "You're in charge here, Teresa. You want me to stop?" he asked softly.

"I didn't tell you to, did I?" she replied, relaxing her legs.

"Okay then." He drew his lips closer to her navel and she said quietly, "Stop."

He stopped immediately and looked at her. "It's fine," he nodded. "If that's as far as you-"

"No," she interrupted. "I just don't like...well..." she rolled her eyes, her face crimson. He knew exactly what she was trying to say but he feigned confusion. He did love to see that embarrassed look on her face. "It's just that...well...one boy...well he tried that once and I...well-"

He began to laugh, unable to stop himself. "I understand. Oral sex is a no for you."

She flushed again. "Well...yes."

"Hmm," he commented. "Have you ever considered that this person, lucky boy that he was, well that he was just not good at it?"

She rolled her eyes again. "So like everything else you're an expert at it I suppose."

"An expert? Well I'm flattered if that's how you view me so far this evening," he smiled. "How about you give me a chance to change your mind? Two minutes?"

She widened her eyes, "You're...you're trying to negotiate?"

He shrugged. "Hardly a negotiation. Just an offer. You're free to turn it down."

She thought for a moment, biting her lip. If she was going to have sex with him he would see her literally lying bare before him anyway. And if he was even half as good as he'd been so far...with those lips and that tongue of his...

"I see you're considering the idea favourably," he cut into her thoughts.

"Wise ass," she muttered. "Okay, two minutes. But if I don't like it-"

He was already tugging at her black cotton panties. "Lift your ass," he ordered. "I'm on the clock I believe."

She was so shocked at his sudden almost businesslike tone and his words she laughed through what might have been the most embarrassing moment of her life. It was only when he threw them behind him with a twinkle in his eyes that she figured that was the point of his tone, to deflect her from what was actually occurring and to ease her awkwardness.

Less than two minutes later she thought her body was about to explode as he worked her with his quite exceptional tongue. "Clock's up," he panted, grinning as he knew how close she was to the verge of orgasm. "Want me to stop?"

"God no!" she exclaimed, her body like a firework about to go off. He laughed then continued for another minute until she grasped his wrist tightly as the fingers from one hand circled a breast while those from his other joined in the assault his tongue was making below. Suddenly she was over the edge, hurtling into space with stars all around her. She had no lucid thoughts, just a mindless feeling of pure euphoria that she had never experienced before that she could hardly breathe through. She was vaguely aware of a scream she emitted but it seemed like it was in the distance or like it was some kind of out of body experience. After that sensation of bliss she suddenly became aware of her body shivering and shaking, convulsing with aftershocks. Then she felt arms encase her and gentle kisses placed to her head as they held her tight, rocking her slowly to ease her quick breathing. "Wow," she croaked as she opened her eyes, wide eyed as Jane smiled at her, more than a touch of smugness in his expression.

"Okay," she nodded. "You're good at that."

He grinned and kissed her. "First one by any chance?"

"I thought I had one before," she frowned, "But...apparently not."

He laughed and kissed her again, breathing heavily as he gazed at her. "I hope to see that again tonight," he smiled.

She felt his erection brush her thigh and moved her fingers to feel it gently through his jeans. "There's no hurry," he said, although his body was screaming for him to give another answer. As she fondled his length gingerly he placed his hand on hers to stop her. "Um...but maybe you should stop that." Even the faintest of touches from her was driving him crazy. She blushed in understanding and kissed him, her hand moving to his chest instead. "Okay so far?" he checked.

She arched an eyebrow, "I think you know the answer to that already." Softly, "Get one, I'm ready."

He searched her eyes for the truth. "Positive you want to do this?"

She rolled hers in return. "Yes, Patrick. How many times?"

"Okay," he laughed as he edged off the bed and began searching in her bag. He flicked on a light on the nightstand and Lisbon immediately covered herself up with the sheet. "I've already seen everything, even in the dark, Teresa," he smiled as his back was turned from her. He frowned as he picked up the packet of condoms and then began chuckling.

"Tell me. Do you wear glasses normally?" he asked in blatant amusement.

"No, why?"

He turned and produced the packet. "Because you bought green ones."

"Huh?!"

He laughed again. "What did you think? It was St. Patrick's Day?" He chuckled once more. "I suppose though in a way it certainly will be." He started up again at his own joke.

She began to laugh with him and shook her head. "It was the first packet I saw and I just grabbed them," she admitted. "I've never bought them before."

"You thought I wouldn't take care of it?"

She shrugged, "I wanted to make certain."

"Okay," he grinned, ripping the packet open. "I'm game." He took one out and placed it and the packet on the nightstand beside them. He sat on the other bed and cast off his socks, standing up to remove his jeans. Lisbon watched him with some admiration as his bronzed legs came into view, his chest the same golden shade, the more than evident erection in his boxers. "I'm pleased I meet with your approval, Miss Lisbon," he smiled and she looked away instantly to the wall beside her, knowing she was practically salivating. He slipped in beside her again and tracked his fingers down her side as he began to nuzzle her neck. He pulled her far leg over his thigh as he continued to kiss her, moving his kisses to her mouth again as his fingers ran across her thigh and deftly caressed her ass cheeks. "You are full of contradictions, you know that?" he whispered between kisses.

"How so?" she just managed to get out.

He punctuated his sentences with kisses to her jaw line and her ear, "Well physically, you're soft on the outside. And at first appearance, your temperament appears hard, abrasive. Outwardly you appear weak, fragile. But inside you're strong. But underneath that you're incredibly soft again." He kissed her mouth soundly again. "You have many layers, Teresa Lisbon. And I believe if I knew you for thirty years you'd still be a mystery to me."

He sighed and pain filled his expression. She saw it instantly and mirrored his frown. "What's the matter?"

He shook his head. "I...I don't know if I want to do this. I...I mean I _really want_ to do this but..."

"You're thinking about tomorrow," she stated quietly. "I know. Me too. Can't get it out of my head."

He puffed out a breath. "So?"

She looked deep into his sea green eyes, imagined never seeing them again and a wall of pain hit her in the chest. How could this boy have burrowed his way through her so called 'layers' so effectively in such a short space of time? She supposed much the way she seemed to have cut through his own defences. Determinedly, "Patrick, I know tomorrow is going to be awful even if we don't go any further tonight. But...I think someone once said you regret the things you didn't do more than the ones you did."

He smiled effortlessly at her as he caressed her face. "Then let's not have any regrets." He looked uncomfortable after a moment as he licked his lips nervously. "Teresa...as this is your first time then you know...well there will be a little pain-"

"I know, Patrick," she interjected, turning crimson. "Jeez, I know I attended Catholic School but they did teach Sex Ed. I know what to expect."

"Okay," he smiled, laughing a little. "But I have to ask, did the nuns teach you-"

"Patrick!"

He laughed again before he turned serious again. "I'll be as gentle as I can, okay?"

"I know you will," she said, both excited and nervous by the prospect.

* * *

"Everything okay?" he asked as she lay in his arms afterwards.

"I swear that must be the tenth time you've asked me that tonight," she smiled, kissing his chest. He had been as good as his words and had treated her tenderly and gently as they made love, slowly and lovingly. She had truthfully expected the experience to be a little traumatic whenever she'd thought about it in the past but he'd turned it into one of feeling absolutely adored and cherished instead.

"Probably more like the twentieth," he admitted, kissing the top of her head.

"Damn," he uttered after a second with a shake of his head.

She moved from his chest to look at him. "What?"

He shrugged. "Part of me was hoping it was going to be dreadful." He shook his head again and sighed, reliving the wondrous experience he just had with the girl in his arms. "At least then it would be more of an awkward break up than an excruciating one."

She laughed softly. "Thanks for...taking care of me like you did."

He laughed in a much more seductive manner. Grinning, "Believe me it was my pleasure."

She slapped him on the chest. "You know what I mean!" she smiled. She caressed where she'd slapped him with her fingers. "You were patient. I know that couldn't have been easy."

He kissed her gently, her rumpled and fresh faced and rosy cheeked look turning him on again. "To be honest I felt a little like a virgin myself. While I've had sex before it's never felt..." He swallowed to control his voice that was in danger of breaking, "I've only really enjoyed and explored the physical element of the act. Never experienced the emotional aspect until now."

She nodded as his sincere words hit her and a tear ran down her cheek. "Oh, crap!" she said, wiping it away. "Why couldn't you have just been terrible?!"

* * *

During the night they made love twice more and as early dawn broke through the curtains at their side Jane watched her sleep, her freckles now clearly visible as the room brightened. He sighed and kissed her shoulder, lying bare as the sheet covered her from her chest down. He angled his body towards her and settled his hand on her far hip, pressing a kiss to her neck. He felt her stir and moan lightly, almost like a purr to his ears. She ruffled his hair lazily as she yawned before a smile lit up her lips.

"Morning," he whispered, kissing her ear.

"Hmm," she sighed in a happy tone. Then she jerked up from the bed immediately, almost whacking his nose with her shoulder as she rose. "What time is it?!"

He pulled her back onto the pillows with a laugh. "Just gone five. Don't panic. We have another hour or so before I have to return Cinderella to her ugly brothers, right?"

She giggled then relaxed and snuggled back into his side again as he kissed her forehead. "So, I never asked you last night. Do you feel any different?"

She shrugged, thinking about the question. "I...I don't know...not really. I'm still me. But...maybe in some ways. Guess time will tell."

"Yeah, it certainly will," he sighed.

* * *

As they drove up to the park near her house Jane said, "So I'm guessing you don't want your brothers to catch me dropping you off."

"Well they're unlikely to be up at half six in the morning but just to be on the safe side it's better you leave me here."

He nodded as the mood in the car turned increasingly sombre. "So, I guess this is it?" he said, trying and failing to sound cheerful.

"Yeah," she said through a ragged breath. She wiped stray tears away and straightened her shoulders, telling herself to be strong.

"I've been thinking," he ventured. "Maybe we could write to each other?"

She smiled sadly then shook her head. "I've thought about the same thing. But how would it work? You don't exactly have a house address, do you?"

He sighed and nodded. "Guess you're right. But I could write to you-"

"I think it's better we leave things as they are, Patrick."

"Okay," he nodded, biting his bottom lip, hurt by her last comment.

She placed a hand on his arm. "I didn't mean that the way it sounded. I just think that...well if you write to me and I can't write you back then...well it'll be too hard for me. And then...you're bound to get fed up writing as you get on with your life and I'm left wondering what happened to you and-"

"I understand," Jane interjected softly. And he did. His letters may stop both of them moving on with their separate lives and may lead to resentment further down the line. "You're right. You are. Better to leave things while we still like each other," he smiled.

"Thank you," she said sincerely. "For...everything."

He smirked to deflect from the pounding of his heart as her intense eyes pierced his. "I told you earlier, it was my pleas-"

"Not that," she said soberly. "For this week. For listening. Understanding. For...making me remember what it's like to be a teenager. Think I'd forgotten."

Tears threatened his eyes and he shook his head. He sniffed, "God, you're really doing a number on me, Teresa Lisbon."

She laughed through her own glassy eyes. "Sorry."

He reached over and grabbed the back of her head, crashing his lips to hers in a searing kiss to show her he felt exactly the same as she did. He released her and fumbled in his jacket that lay on the back seat. "I got you a present," he said, using every trick he could to gain control over himself.

"You did?" she said, "You shouldn't have, Patrick."

"It's nothing much," he said as he produced an art deco sleek silver pen and handed it to her.

She glanced at him and then the pen, her eyes lighting up. "It's...beautiful," she said.

"It's not very expensive but I took a look around some antique shops today and saw it, thought of you. From what I believe police work is more about paperwork than it is catching criminals. Thought you might get some use out of it."

She flung her arms around him and kissed him. "You really shouldn't have but I love it, thank you."

"Plus you can use it for your essays when you go to College come the Fall," he smiled.

"Well, _if_ I go there in the Fall."

"You will," he assured her.

"This you being psychic again?" she smiled.

"If you like."

She rolled her eyes and then delved into a pocket at the front of her bag. "I got you something too. It's...well it's not quite as fancy as the pen but...well it was my mother's. Although I know you don't really believe in god as such but-"

"For heaven's sake, what is it?" he laughed.

She passed him a small silver medal and he frowned as he read the lettering around it. She said, "It's a Saint Christopher medal, patron saint of-"

"Travellers," he smiled. He kissed her and nodded. "You still trying to convert me to your cause are you?" he smirked as he ran his fingers over it.

"I give up on that particular one," she smiled, knowing she would never make a believer out of him after they'd argued religion the day before. "But...well maybe you'll look at it now and then as you make your way around the country...and you'll remember there's a good person inside of you when you might have cause to forget that fact. Or, you can just think of it as a good luck charm," she added.

"You really do have faith in me, don't you?"

"I have hope in you."

"Thank you," he said quietly, her last words running through his head. "I'll treasure it."

As conversation dwindled they knew it was time to say their goodbyes. "Okay, I better go," Lisbon said reluctantly, putting her hand on the door handle. She immediately took it off again and moved over to kiss him. They deepened it instantly as he pushed her back into her seat to continue it. He glanced at the back seat. "We still could-"

She laughed, breaking the kiss finally by shoving his chest. She took a deep breath and kissed him softly, trying to remember as many details as she could about it and about him. "Goodbye, Patrick."

Jane nodded, his lips tight to keep his emotions in check, kissing her tenderly one last time. "Goodbye, Teresa. Be well and have an amazing life. You truly deserve the best of everything. And remember how your life is now isn't how it has to be from now on."

She nodded, tears falling. "You too," she whispered. "I hope you make your dreams come true too." She laughed as she cried, "Even if that includes conning rich old ladies."

A final kiss she tumbled out of the vehicle, clutching the pen in one hand and her bag in the other, wiping her cheeks with her arms as she hurried away.

Jane watched as she receded into the distance before he broke down, his head on the steering wheel as his own tears flowed.

After ten minutes he took three deep breaths in a row. He nodded as he wiped his remaining tears, closed his eyes and focused his mind on one final task before he left Chicago. Determined to fulfil it he started the engine and drove off.

\- THE END -

* * *

 **A/N: Yeah, a cliffhanger at the end of a story? What's that about I hear you say? But as you know by now a sequel is planned that is coming shortly. Had to plant a hook to keep your interest, didn't I?**

 **It's going to be called Reconnect. It's set just over a decade after this tale ends. As any of you know who follow my "adult" Jane and Lisbon stories I never like their journey to find happiness to be too easy so it'll be less plain sailing than the one you've just read so expect some turbulence and complications to come into play when they meet up again. And of course a tasty plot/mystery thrown in.**

 **And thanks again to all those who enjoyed this story if you don't stick around for the sequel.**


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